New Beginnings: A Tail of Redemption
by Wandering Maverick
Summary: On a distant planet, two hearts that had been torn apart by words will meet once again...what does fate have in store for these two lingering souls? Follows "Star Wolf Returns" ending of Star Fox: Command.
1. The Search

**AN – Hello ladies and gentleman to another one of my works. I'm sure many of you are disappointed that this isn't an update to 'The Rogue Soul'. But rest assured despite my muse's little detour with this story, I'm STILL writing 'Rogue' so do not fret. Think of this story as an intermission to sate your palates until I finish 'Rogue', as well as to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking...or writing as the case may be.**

**As far as the creation of this story is concerned...it kinda started off with me just wiki hopping and ending up reading some Star Fox pages. One thing led to another and my muse was soon up in arms about the storyline created for Star Fox: Command. More specifically the beginning with Krystal and Fox, along with endings: 3 (The Angler Emperor) and 4 (Star Wolf Returns). **

**This mostly came about because in my opinion the situation Fox and Krystal were in was not only something a LOT more complex than what the storyline of Command had NOT given nearly enough justice to. But also because their situation touched me personally...in a way I shall not go into.**

**However because of these reasons, my muse mutinied and wouldn't let me concentrate until I got some closure on the whole Krystal x Fox situation...and this was the end result. A result that I feel is a reasonably realistic ending (as well as one I'd prefer) to all of the drama surrounding this rather obvious (if adventure and assault are any indication) couple.**

**Summary: This story takes place six years AFTER command and follows the events of the 4****th**** ending to the game, making Fox 35 and Krystal 28. This is NOT an epic, merely a 1-shot I decided to split to make a short story.**

**If you don't know the storyline behind the star fox but want to know because you're a fan of my work I suggest you read the wiki pages...specifically for Krystal and Fox...they explain it well enough. Or can look up pages dealing with Star Fox: Command.**

**Anyway enough notes, here is the first chapter of 'New beginnings: A Tail of Redemption', enjoy.**

**P.S - Would like to thank Kitty my pseudo beta-reader for assisting me with the title and a few bits of the story (needed a woman's perspective). Oh...and I don't own Star Fox...if I did...Command wouldn't exist.**

STAR FOX - normal speech

_STAR FOX_ - thinking

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Search**

"_How long had it been since that fateful day in which I made the biggest mistake of my life? A week? A year? A decade? No matter the true time, it felt like eternity to me...for me to feel this pain...this suffering...for my foolish, selfish mistake. I now had no one else to rely on...Slippy my engineer, was happily married living on Aquas with his children and wife Amanda. Falco the ace pilot and my best friend, had made his own mercenary team 'Star Falco' and soared the skies with more popularity than even Star Fox had ever gotten. Peppy...oh Peppy...one of the best pilots and the wisest furry I ever knew, my closest confidant. He had been dead for some time...how I wish he or my parents were here to give me the guidance I so desperately wish to have. But in truth I only have myself to blame for...everything. To blame for losing the most important furry in my life...I missed them all, but none as much as HER."_

The hooded figure's melancholy thoughts were brought to a halt when he came to his destination...a bar named THE CLAW on some backwater world called Kew. While normally he'd avoid such low-brow places as this, it was the fact it was low-brow that brought him there. If you needed information, and didn't have the ties to get it under normal circumstances these were the types of places to go. The figure entered the loud, unkempt establishment and went straight for the bar.

"Wha'cha want?" The reptilian bartender questioned roughly.

"Your stiffest drink and some information." The figure's once strong voice, now only scratchy and low answered.

The bartender nodded and began making the drink, as the figure shifted through his cloak before pulling out a warn-out picture...one that was clearly torn in half. He stared at the picture, as if it was a gift from Inari himself. Though the figure would certainly say WHO he was looking at WAS very much a gift from the fox god.

A glass was placed next to him before the bartender spoke. "Here ya go...the claw...named after the bar as you might guess."

The figure made no response to the reptile's words, and simply moved to grab the glass which had a black liquid swishing around in it. He grabbed the glass and immediately downed the drink, coughing soon after making the bartender laugh.

"You must be a robot to have balls of steel to have downed that drink like that." He joked, before leaning over to see what had the figure's undivided attention, before he smirked knowingly. "Heh I should have guessed THAT instead...a broken heart will ALWAYS dull common sense." He stated sagely.

The figure immediately looked up, causing the bartender to take a step back when a set of cold, almost lifeless emerald eyes glared at him.

"Shut up!" The figure snarled, before shoving the picture in his face. "Have you seen this furry?" His voice holding an edge that told the reptile not to speak his mind again.

The barkeep grabbed the picture and examined it for a minute or two...far longer than the figure wanted...obvious by his fidgeting fingers wanting to gab it back. After he saw the reptile look up, he snatched the picture and waited for an answer.

Had the figure not scared him so much, the bartender might have laughed at his obsessive actions. "I'm sorry to say that I haven't seen who ever that is..." He answered confidently, only to get a look of disbelief from the figure. "...hey, have you looked around lately? This isn't exactly a place that a furry like her would be seen in. A furry as beautiful as that would be hard to forget...even for a vixen." He explained, and got an understanding nod from the figure before he pocketed the picture.

"Can't agree with you more." His voice now back to how it had been when he first entered. "Keep the change." He ordered slamming a few bills on the table.

The reptile swiped the cash, not arguing over the extra money. "Hey!" He called out making the figure stop a moment before he exited the bar. "Good luck finding her, heartbreak...is a terrible thing." He finished trying to support a furry who was plagued by one of the oldest problems known in existence.

The figure nodded slightly before leaving, heading back to his ship to go to the next stop on Kew for information. He strolled slothfully thanks to his heavy heart and dimmed hopes, until his ears twitched at hearing a scream.

"I said you're not gonna get me you bitch!"

Just then a white furred Husky was thrown into the street from a nearby alley. The figure knew this was commonplace for a slum like this, and prepared to leave when something...blue...caught his eye. Out of the same alleyway a furry in a dark maroon and red spacesuit and helmet jumped out, now crouching in front of the dog. As soon as the Husky saw his would-be captor he scrambled to his feet and ran in the opposite direction. The bounty hunter as the figure assumed from the situation, took no time to rush after him. What forced the figure to take even greater interest...so much so he actually gasped, was the puffy tail of the bounty hunter...more specifically the color. It was a dark royal blue...a color that was so rare to furries it immediately made his heart beat twice as fast.

"_I...It can't be..."_ He stuttered, his body moving almost on it's own now running after the pair.

He was nearly hyperventilating at the possibility as he zigzagged around buildings following the chaos the hunter and prey created. He turned another corner, but stopped when the chaos abruptly stopped.

"_No...no...please no..."_ He pleaded while scanning the surrounding area, and as if his pleas were answered, he spotted the remnants of royal blue disappear behind a building a block away.

He never felt himself run as fast as he had just then in his life, he turned the corner hoping to find another clue. However that proved to be a mistake as he skidded to a halt with the barrel of a blaster now pointing right down his shadowed muzzle. He rose his arms in surrender before quickly surveying the scene, the Husky was slumped against the wall of the building knocked out. His gaze turned back to the bounty hunter, now able to get a better view, he realized the hunter was female by the subtle hourglass figure she held that was accentuated by her spacesuit. He had been faced with death before, so this situation wasn't new to him...however never more in his life did he wish to survive an encounter like his. Not for himself though, to live so he could finally find the vixen he so desperately looked for and tell her all the things he NEEDED to say.

"Tell me why you are following us..." A muffled but clearly feminine voice questioned from within the helmet, before the figure's hood was pulled back by the blaster barrel. "...Fox McCloud." The voice addressed as the famous visage of the Star Fox leader now came to light.

The now identified mercenary leader, looked nothing like himself back in the Lylat wars or even Aparoid invasion. His once shining and smooth fur was now disheveled, and dull...with his fur looking more like a muddy brown and light brown hue rather than his natural tan and white respectively. His once kind, and confident eyes now seemed glazed over with depression, and misery. It was clear to anyone who had known him, he had given up ALL but the most basic types of personal hygiene. Obvious by the fact that despite his looks he didn't smell like one would think he might.

The click of the blaster made him refocus on the problem at hand. "I...apologize for following you..." He started, before his shoulders slumped now realizing the furry before him wasn't who he was looking for. "...you, just reminded me of someone...someone I'm looking for. I thought you might have been her because you two look similar." He explained.

The helmet tilted to the side in question. "Who?"

As slowly as the female would allow him, Fox shifted in his cloak and took out the photo.

He handed it to the female to look at it. "Her name is Krystal McCloud..." He explained before a sad chuckle escaped his throat making the bounty hunter's entire body stiffen slightly, though he failed to see it. "...or that's what I wish I could say...her true name is simply Krystal" He sadly corrected.

The hunter gave the picture back. "And why are you looking for her?"

Despite himself, Fox's expression hardened, showing that beneath all of his changes he was still a dangerous warrior. "That is a personal matter." He growled out.

The hunter merely chuckled. "My blaster says otherwise." She countered, emphasizing the point by pressing the barrel tip between his eyes.

Had this been during the the Apariods or prior, Fox's pride would have taken over with fists or lasers already flying. However at this point in his life pride was a useless idea, one that he didn't want nor need.

He held his tongue, before calming down to speak. "I'm looking for her to rectify a terrible mistake I had made, and to uphold a promise that I selfishly broke." He explained, the melancholy in his voice hinting at the truth behind his words.

Silence reigned for a minute, as the hunter stared at Fox, while Fox was lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly the blaster was back in the female's holster, with Fox's green eyes dilating in recognition of the movement, and put his hands down.

"By the way I wanted to ask...how did you know who I was?" He was a bit surprised that the hunter recognized him so quickly.

The hunter laughed at his question while she tied her prey up. "Who doesn't know the great Fox McCloud...leader of the famous Star Fox team...savior of Lylat?" She answered, an undercurrent of venom in her voice.

Fox actually blushed at the compliment...something he hadn't done in a very long time. Back then he never thought so highly of himself, he was simply doing the job his employer asked him to. Though as he heard them now...they stung his heart...because he would have thrown all that praise to the way side if he could have what he truly wanted instead.

"I...suppose...that's true..." He uncomfortably agreed, before changing the subject. "...who is he?"

Considering there were only three furries around, it was obvious who he was asking about. "Just a bounty that I'm going to collect on...his name is unimportant now." She answered monotonously...her attention clearly on making sure the Husky was restrained properly.

Nodding to herself at the job, she began pulling the dog up. "Would you like some help getting him to your ship?" She heard Fox offer.

The helmet turned to him. "And why are you trying to help me?" She countered suspiciously.

Fox was taken aback by the question...in truth he didn't have a reason, it was simply his nature to try and help his fellow furries. Though he would admit help of this non-mercenary nature he tended to only offer to females. As he thought about why he had asked, nothing really came to mind, until he once again saw the hunter's blue tail.

"I...was hoping maybe I could ask you if in your travels you may have seen Krystal...or know someone who might have...or better yet know where she currently is."

The female stared at him for a moment considering the offer, before moving down to the dog's tied feet.

"Grab the other end...my ship is only a few blocks in spaceport X1" She ordered.

Fox was a bit surprised she had accepted it, but didn't look a gift horse in the mouth, and hefted up the dog's upper body before the pair were off. After several minutes of traveling in silence Fox finally broke it.

"So...I never got your name." The hunter turned to look at him for a moment before turning back, Fox easily got the hint. "Ok...so then..."

"Kursed" Her voice cut him off, startling him a bit at her belated answer.

"Right...so...uh...Kursed, do you remember ever seeing Krystal or knowing someone who may know where she might be?"

Right after he asked, they turned the last corner of a building to reach the spaceport, where Kursed's ship lay in wait.

"No" She answered, moving closer and closer to her ship.

Fox slumped at the news, his ear's lying flat showing his sadness. "I see...thank you anyway." He whispered.

They reached her ship, and placed her prisoner on board. As they were preparing to part ways, Fox stood at the base of the platform entrance of her ship, while Kursed stood at the top. They stared at one another, though for Fox it was because at that moment his mind's eye placed a translucent form of Krystal atop Kursed, their forms and curves matching almost perfectly.

"Was that all the business you had with me McCloud? I wish to get my money as soon as I can." Kursed's slightly annoyed voice pulled him back to reality.

Fox shook his head, though was still disturbed by his hallucination. "Y...Yes." He affirmed, and saw her hand raise to close the platform. "W...Wait!" He shouted suddenly, causing her hand to stop as it gripped the lever. "I...I have a request."

Had her helmet been off, Fox would have seen Kursed raise an eyebrow at his last statement.

"What is it?"

Fox fidgeted nervously before he spoke. "M...May I...see your face?"

Kursed herself was taken aback...out of all the things she could think of that he'd ask of her...THAT didn't cross her mind for a moment.

"Why?" Her voice was several degrees colder, with a hint of defensiveness.

Fox smiled a hollow smile, and his gaze seemed to have become wistful. "Because..." He closed his eyes, holding back the tears that Kursed could already see forming at the corners of his eyes. "...at the rate I'm going, I don't think I'll ever find her before I can't search anymore. And of all the furries I've met on all of the planets I've searched...you're the only one that has come so close to looking like her it actually scares me. But in that same vine, I know that if I see your face...the face of someone who looks so much like her, it'll give me the strength my heart is slowly losing to keep the search up...but more importantly...my hope to find her." He explained, opening his eyes and looking directly into the helmet's visor. "Please...Kursed...will you show me?" He asked again, his voice full of sorrow, it sounded like the begging of a furry at the end of their rope.

Once again they shared a long look, Fox waiting with baited breath of her decision, as Kursed herself weighed her choices. Suddenly her free hand rose up and gripped the bottom of her helmet and slowly pulled it off. As fox watched on his expression grew more and more shocked, his eyes growing wider, his jaw falling farther and farther down. Kursed's violet hair, wrapped in a ponytail, fell down to her shoulder blades when the helmet was completely off.

"B...Beautiful" He stuttered...thinking out loud as he took in the full form of the now identified vixen before him.

Kursed's cheek fur turn a slight shade darker thanks to the blush that forced it's way onto her face. She hated this...hated him, how after so long he still had this 'power' over her...proven just now by her response to his singular word.

Fox on the other hand...felt as if he was once again looking at Krystal...or at least a more serious twin if she had one. She felt so familiar to him...his body trembled at what his eyes saw...he wanted to embrace this vixen and never let go. But he knew...knew by her own admission, 'unique' name, cold, even hostile personality, and her fur color despite the similar base color...that this wasn't the vixen he searched for...yearned for with every fiber of his soul.

"If that was all then..." Kursed's voice brought him back, and he finally locked eyes with her for the first time...his mind was swirling so fast he failed to notice them until now, which made him even more shocked. "...goodbye...Fox." She concluded, pulling the lever making the platform rise.

He knew it...knew it now without a doubt in his mind despite what he had thought only moments before, Kursed...WAS Krystal. Her outer appearance may have changed through the years, even her personality may have grown colder thanks to what he had done to her and her new profession. But there were things you could NEVER change, nor fake...one of them were the eyes. It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and at this moment it proved to be true to Fox with out a doubt.

He saw Kursed's aqua green eyes...that same beautiful shade he fell in love with. But no matter how cold and neutral Kursed had wanted them to seem to him...he saw past her defenses in those few seconds of eye contact. He could see the hurt...anger...hatred...shame and loneliness that Krystal hid behind her new persona. And if that weren't enough to convince him, than the fact that when she spoke his name for the last time, her tongue must have slipped because he distinctly heard her unique and native Cerinian accent escape her lips. It was an accent that she said only her people had, and was verified by ROB's language database after she joined Star Fox. Combine that with the fact Krystal was Cerinia's lone survivor...it only proved to him more that Kursed truly was Krystal. The blaring of Kursed's engines pulled Fox back from his coma-like shock.

Without another thought he ran up to the hull of her ship. "KRYSTAL!" He screamed, bashing his fists against the hull. "KRYSTAL! WAIT!" He yelled again, his fists smashing even harder against the plating. "KRYSTAL! INARI...PLEASE STOP HER! KRYSTAL!" He howled as loud as he could with fearful tears already staining his fur, his fists now bleeding...but he didn't care, and continued on.

Kursed's engines roared once again, signaling her take off, making Fox choke back a sob and smash his fists against the ship as hard as he could not caring that at least two of his fingers were already broken. The landing gear suddenly lifted a few inches from the ground, making Fox try even harder, though deep down he knew she couldn't possibly hear him now.

"KRYSTAL! PLEASE STOP!" He roared, only to choke with his voice having just given out.

He continued to slam his fists against the hull until the ship began to turn for it's final preparations to ascend into the sky. As much as he would have gladly taken the pain...Fox was forced to jump back as the heat of the engines grew too hot. As he skidded to a stop...all he could do was watch as the vixen he loved more than anything in the universe fly away from him. His knees buckled under the weight of the reality and he dropped to his knees, his emerald orbs watching the ship cut through the clouds. When the ship was out of sight, his upper body fell, his head hitting the ground, his arms hugging his cranium.

"Damn." He cursed lowly. "Damn!" He repeated only louder, panting as he did so. "...damn...Damn...DAmn...DAMn...DAMN!" He now roared despite his hoarse voice, punching the ground, feeling some slight relief from the pain he felt course through his arms. "DAMNIT!" He howled towards the heaven's with all his might.

"Fox" A robotic voice suddenly called out of the communicator on his wrist.

Fox's trembling body suddenly froze at the voice...and almost as if Inari himself had came down and touched Fox giving him his blessing, he came to an epiphany. Without thought Fox scrambled to his feet and pressed his communicator.

"ROB! I WANT YOU TO TRACK ANY HUNTER-CLASS SHIPS THAT HAVE LEFT KEW SPACE IN THE LAST TEN MINUTES. AND I WANT THE TRACKING LIST FIVE MINUTES AGO!" He roared...his voice full of fear, sorrow, desperation and for the first time in a long time...hope.

It was the most excruciating thirty seconds of silence of Fox's life he could remember. His thoughts flew a mile a minute, as he waited and prayed for ROB's scan to finish.

To Fox's happiness he once again heard the robot's voice. "I have completed the scan...fifteen hunter-class ships have left Kew space within ten minutes of your request."

Glee could be seen running through Fox's eyes now. "Ok, tell me are any of them registered to a bounty hunter named Kursed?"

Several seconds passed. "No" The robot answered.

"_Figured...she would be too smart for that."_ Fox thought with both pride and frustration.

He shook his head of the negative thoughts...he had finally found her and that's all that mattered now.

"Ok ROB...I'm coming back to the ship, meanwhile I want you to find which warp-gates those fifteen ships used to determine their destinations."

"Affirmative"

The communication was cut, as Fox just stood there...all of his emotions bubbling within him at once.

"Its so surreal..." He said to himself, as he looked up towards the sky...and for the first time in several years smiled...a true honest smile. "...I've finally found you Krystal. I swear, I won't let you go again." He promised to the wind, before he dashed off to the spaceport where his Arwing was parked.

* * *

**AN – Well there you have it, the first chapter to my short story, I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Review if you like.**

**P.S – If you want a visual as to what Kursed looks like the closest (good) picture I could find (****the link is on my author's page****) was a picture ****by *Protator (which CLEARLY means all copyrights to the drawing itself go to him...NOT me). Just imagine her fur being royal blue and her hair being down to her shoulder blades. The DARK blue of her suit is maroon, and the lighter blue is red. As far as the helmet...just imagine 'Master Chief's helmet from Halo in maroon with the gold/yellow visor.**

**P.P.S – If you want one for Fox...its him in his Star Fox: Assault outfit (with a cloak covering him at the moment obviously), and he just looks like he had a shower but never dried off (bad hair day)...and looking sleep depraved.**


	2. Who are you?

**AN – Well here is chapter two of my Star Fox story, I hope that the first chapter (for those who read it) was enjoyable.**

**Though truth be told I was hoping for more of a response then the single review I had gotten about the story. But I suppose since star fox is a pretty old series (most recent game released in 2006), I shouldn't be surprised that I didn't get a lot of responses. Still a bit unfortunate, but I'll deal.**

**Anyway here is chapter two, right where last chapter left off...enjoy!**

**I don't own star fox.**

STAR FOX - normal speech

_STAR FOX_ - thinking

* * *

**Chapter 2: Who are you?**

Fox's Arwing screamed across sky and space, his muscles reacting on pure instinct reverting back to the ace pilot he had once been. As the Great Fox grew closer in proximity, Fox's thoughts twisted in his mind as nervousness gripped his heart. He landed haphazardly in the docking bay of the aging warship, jumped out and sprinted to the bridge, his lungs burning for air he moved so fast.

"ROB tell me you have the warp-gates!" He shouted, flipping into the captain's chair.

"Affirmative..." The robot replied before turning from the controls of the bridge. "...the fifteen ships you had tracked have entered ten different warp-gates."

Hearing this Fox, thought back to the meeting he had with Kursed...trying to recall ANY hint that would aid him in finding out which gate she would have used.

The idea suddenly hit him like a blaster to the face. "ROB of those ten warp-gates...which ones have a bounty station close by?"

Hearing the inquiry, the robot turned back and began typing into the computer, with a very impatient vulpine watching on.

After a minute the robot stopped typing and turned back. "Of the ten warp-gates...only three have a bounty station within the same system."

Fox looked a bit relieved at this. "Which systems are they?"

"The Solar...Angel and...Lylat Systems."

Fox narrowed his eyes. "Well the Solar System is off-limits to us thanks to the alliance with the humans so that's out." He mused. "The Angel System despite its name is hostile towards anyone and anything that enters it. So that bounty station is for that system's lone use, that's a no go too." He continued. "And even Lylat is unfriendly to Krystal because of her leaving Star Fox..." He paused as his eyes narrowed. "...but it would still be the least dangerous. I mean if I couldn't recognize her straight out...I doubt others in Lylat will." He concluded, before turning to ROB. "ROB set a course for the warp-gate back to Lylat."

"Affirmative." The robot confirmed typing the coordinates into the computer.

"_Please be right."_ He prayed as he felt the ship's engines engage.

It was an excruciating hour later that the Great Fox appeared back in the Lylat System via warp-gate. Fox wasted no time and was already running down the corridors to reach his Arwing.

"ETA for contact with bounty station...three minutes." He heard ROB's voice through the loud speakers.

Fox said nothing, and finally reached the docking bay to prep his ship for take off. He was in the cockpit typing away at the mini-computer, when he spoke out.

"ROB?"

"Yes Fox?"

"I want you to track any ships that leave the station from this point on, we entered the warp gate a little less than thirty minutes after Krystal. However because of all the red tape that comes with bounties it should still be another ten minutes before she gets her money and leaves." He explained.

"Affirmative...all ships with be tracked from this point on."

Fox finished the last preparations for take off as the cockpit closed. "Keep me informed ROB, I'm headin' out!" He announced before punching the throttle, as the engine and G-Diffusers hummed to life before rocketing him into deep space.

Fox got the necessary clearance to land in the port of the bounty station, and jumped out of the cockpit the moment the wheels of his landing gear stopped. He rushed through the hallways until he hit the main hub of the station where it reminded Fox of a business district on Corneria. There were slews of stores running along the walls of the station ranging from motels, to clothing, to food all made for the bounty hunter profession. Knowing that if he made a scene by running through the station Krystal might notice and run away...he was forced to head to the bounty collection agency in a fast walk. His eyes darted left and right looking for the blur furred vixen, but found nothing. His heart pounded louder, as nervousness began to grip him the closer and closer he got to the collection agency.

He finally reached his destination and surveyed the hunters in it, but still couldn't find her. He stepped inside and went to the only available collection agent.

The agent saw him and smiled. "Welcome to the bounty collection agency, I'll need your hunter account number before we can begin." The red avian requested.

"I'm not a bounty hunter...I just need information about one."

The agent's beak curved into a frown. "I'm sorry sir, you may not be aware of this but giving out hunter information to anyone, especially a civilian, is against the rules."

Fox's eyes narrowed in frustration. "FINE! Can you at least tell me if a hunter by the name of Kursed was here in the last hour!? She is a dark blue furred vixen wearing a red spacesuit."

The Hawk shook his head. "I'm sorry sir that information is still in the purview of breaking the..."

The sound of the bird's skull smashing into the wooden desk, stopped his answer mid-sentence. The cry of pain, loud crack of wood, and animalistic growl emanating from Fox forced all nearby attention on the vulpine and Hawk which now had Fox's blaster pressed hard against his temple.

"I don't have the time for your damn red tape...either you tell me now or..."

"Hey whats going on here!?" A loud boisterous though feminine voice roared in annoyance.

All attention was now on the tan furred vixen coming out of the manager's office. She immediately saw the situation and ran up to them, her hand already on the grip of her own blaster.

"HEY YOU! GET YOUR PAWS OFF..." Her voice trailed off when her eyes met Fox's. "...F...Fox?"

Fox's eyes dilated in recognition and both grips on his blaster and head of the agent loosened. "F..Fara?"

The vixen broke out into a huge smile. "My Inari...Fox McCloud...I haven't seen you since.." She paused to think about it. "...the last testing of the X2OA Arwing, that your team used in the Lylat wars!" She said in happiness, heading towards Fox before hugging him.

Fox was just as surprised to see one of his best friends on a bounty station as well. The last time they saw each other was as she said, he was just coming into the command of Star Fox, and she was the Cornerian Army's chief test pilot. He hugged the vixen back, and smiled despite the situation he was just in...it was good to see a friendly face after so long.

They released one another a minute later, with Fara looking at Fox up and down. "You've grown up Fox.. How have you been? What have you been up to after the Angler invasion?" She questioned in rapid-fire succession.

"Miss Phoenix...aren't you going to have him arrested for what he did?" The now free avian questioned angrily, massaging the side of his face that hit the desk.

Fara turned to her worker with an 'are you serious?' expression. "Do you have any idea who this is!? This is Fox McCloud, a furry who helped save this system from destruction and enslavement countless times! And you want me to have him arrested!?" She questioned in disbelief, before leveling a glare at the Hawk. "Get back to work before you're out of a job!" She ordered heatedly.

The bird gulped and did as was told. "You didn't have to be so harsh Fara...he was right. I over reacted because of my emotions when he was simply doing his job." Fox defended.

Fara turned, her glare now focused on Fox. "Yes I know...so I will kindly ask you to not man-handle my subordinates or next time I will HAVE to press charges...hero or no." She countered, making Fox squirm slightly in guilt. "Now what exactly could set off the calm, and cool demeanor of the famous Fox McCloud?"

Fox's eyes glazed over with sadness. "Unfortunately Fara I don't have the time to explain the situation. I need your help finding a bounty hunter!"

Fara could hear in Fox's voice how serious and nervous he was, and he wouldn't ask something so illegal if he didn't REALLY need the information.

"Come into my office." She commanded, and headed for it with Fox behind her. "Now who is the bounty hunter you're looking for?" She questioned once the door to her office was closed, and had rounded her large oak desk.

"Her name is Kursed...I believe that she just came here to get the bounty off some dog furry. She is a blue..."

He paused when Fara put her hand up in a 'stop' motion. "I know who she is...and you're right she WAS here. I was actually the one who handled her transaction."

Fox's expression turned to one of relief and hope. "HOW LONG AGO WAS SHE HERE!?" He shouted.

From Fox's reaction Fara could tell this was about more than just business...this was something personal to him and she wanted to know why.

"I answered your question Fox...now answer mine. Why is she so important to find?"

Fox's body twitched impatiently, his eyes pleading to just give him the information he wanted. "Fara I don't have the time!" He urged, his breaths coming out in upset pants.

Her eyes narrowed defiantly. "Then make time, or that is all you'll learn! The way you're reacting is completely unlike you...and its worrying me Fox. I want to know why this Kursed is so important!" She countered.

Hearing the concern in her voice, Fox forcibly calmed himself down, and looked away from his long time friend. "Its because Kursed...is Krystal."

Fara's eyes widened, as everything made sense now. "T...That can't be! I just saw her and I'll admit she resembles Krystal a little but Kursed is the complete opposite of what I've heard Krystal was like!" She debated, and while having never met Krystal personally she knew enough about the vixen from rumors, stories, and the swarm of media stories after Star Wolf was announced as the saviors of Lylat from the Angler invasion forces.

Fox's shoulders slumped. "I know how crazy it may seem...but I know..." He paused to look back into Fara's eyes. "...I KNOW its her."

Fara didn't know what to say, but she knew no matter what Fox needed to see Kursed again to verify the truth for himself. "I'll help you Fox..." She announced, and heard Fox give a whispered 'thank you'. "...she actually left only a few minutes before you probably got here."

"_Then there is still time!"_ He mentally cried, and ran to the door.

"Fox!" She shouted, stopping him in his tracks. "Her assigned dock is C4! However if she is already gone...you can find her on Titania. She told me that if I needed to contact her about a bounty that she had a hideout there.".

Fox smiled. "Thank you Fara...thank you so much. No matter what happens...I'll come back here and we'll catch up." He promised and left before she had a chance to say anything.

Fara smiled wistfully where Fox just stood. _"Go get her Fox."_ She mentally cheered, having known from several sources that Fox and Krystal were once deeply in love, despite neither confessing it and having the falling out they later had.

Fox zigzagged through the crowd of bounty hunters, knocking into several but not stopping to apologize. As he rushed past the sign indicating dock C4 he repeated 'Please be there' in his mind like a mantra. He could see the blast doors which led to the dock several yards ahead of him, before he skidded to a stop with the doors automatically opening.

"FUCK!" He cursed...Kursed's ship was gone.

He clicked his tongue against his teeth in annoyance, before remembering what Fara told him. He wasted no time and headed towards the dock containing his Arwing.

"ROB!" He called out, having opened his communicator while running.

"Yes Fox?"

"I want you to hack into the station's records and track the ship that was parked in dock C4 ten minutes ago. I also want the Great Fox to head to Titania, and I'll rendezvous with you in it's orbit."

"Affirmative."

Fox reached his Arwing several minutes later, and blasted out of the bounty station, his engine running at maximum for Titania. Once again Fox could only stew in his thoughts and feelings until he finally reached his destination and saw the Great Fox as well as the sand-colored planet. As much as he wanted to just fly through the planet's atmosphere and search for her...he knew it would be far more dangerous and time consuming to do so. Instead he docked back up with the flag ship and headed towards the bridge.

"ROB, report!"

The robot turned from the console. "Tracking the ship designated 'Silent Phantom' from dock C4 of the bounty station was a success. The G-Diffusers's emissions left a trail which led to our current location."

Fox nodded. "Good...show me the emission's trail on the view screen." He ordered, as the robot pressed a few buttons.

The view screen hummed, before it showed the view that the bridge currently had of outer space. Suddenly a light blue trail began to form snaking its way across the screen and dropping into Titania's atmosphere.

"_Well that certainly makes searching for her easier."_ Fox mused, now knowing her general location on the hazardous planet.

"ROB, from where the emission's trail ends on the planet I want you to find the safest landing spot in that quadrant for my Arwing."

The sound of typing, was the robot's answer to Fox's order. "The emissions ended in quadrant 26...the largest ruins of the species which had once colonized Titania. The closest 'safe' landing zone is five miles from where the emissions stopped, indicating the 'Silent Phantom's engine was shut down."

Fox grunted in frustration...fives miles wasn't that far, however on a planet with such a hazardous environment like Titania it may as well be fifty miles.

"Very well...input that information into my Arwing." He ordered before leaving the bridge.

He reached his Arwing and began the prep for launch, happy that his ship was fueled up again, having expended nearly all of it to get to Titania. He was ready to leave and about to press the throttle, however a thought hit him, and opened up the comm's link.

"ROB?"

"Yes fox?"

"Keep track of the Silent Phantom...if I'm still gone and it takes off let me know."

"Affirmative"

With that Fox punched the throttle and shot like an arrow into Titania's atmosphere following ROB's flight plan. Fox mentally complimented ROB when his landing gear touched the sandy surface of Titania. The descent and even landing were as smooth as he could have ever hoped considering the howling sandstorms which devastated the planet every few days. He got out of the cockpit and wrapped his cloak around his body for what little protection it would allow in the harsh environment.

He pressed his comm's link button on his wrist. "ROB? How is the link?"

Some static came in before he heard the robot's voice. "Signal strength at 94%"

He nodded at the reading. "Good...then from my location which way is the Silent Phantom?"

Some more static entered the comm. "The Silent Phantom is 4.85 miles northeast of your current location."

Fox clicked his tongue against his teeth. _"Well that's a bit less than anticipated anyway."_ He thought before heading out in the necessary direction.

It had taken Fox about three hours to traverse the nearly five miles of the desert-like conditions that made up Titania's surface. In the general area of where the Silent Phantom landed, he noticed the many ruins of a city which once stood there.

"This would certainly be a perfect place to make a hideout...the ruins can act as a defense against attack, obstacles for enemies while retreating, and camouflage for attacks. Not only that but if you repaired some of the less destroyed ruins they could act as a suitable living area." He mused while keeping an eye out, until he found what he had been looking for.

Several hundred yards away Fox could see the Silent Phantom with a camouflaging tarp over it. From the sky it would look just like the terrain around it. And considering only a crazy person would leave a ship to go searching a place like Titania on foot, where the camouflage wouldn't protect the ship, the tarp gave a nearly perfect defense from searches.

Fox chuckled to himself. _"Suppose that includes me."_

Knowing he was close, and not wanting to take chances, he took out his blaster, but kept it hidden under his cloak. He approached the ship cautiously, keeping his head on a swivel in case Kursed knew he was here and tried something. He reached the ship, and smiled in triumph seeing his dried blood on the hull, taking away any remaining doubts that this was the wrong ship. He checked the cockpit and found Kursed gone, though stayed inside to take advantage of the ship's infrared scanner. He smiled when the scanner showed a lone figure about a hundred yards out. He left the ship and raced in the direction of the heat signature. When he reached the place the signature originated, he whistled lowly in his mind.

"_Well that's one way to make yourself at home."_ He mused, seeing the vastly refurbished ruins before him.

It seemed that Kursed's admittance to a 'hideout' to Fara was putting it mildly. The place looked like a mansion...albeit a run down mansion...but a mansion nonetheless. And considering the half dozen laser turrets mounted in strategic places, as well as what looked like a high-powered rail-gun mounted on the top of the building it looked more like a fortress than anything.

"Son of a bitch..." He cursed under his breath. "...when Krystal doesn't want people to find her she REALLY doesn't want people to find her."

Fox being a fighter for as long as he had been knew that observation was the key. He looked around and found several rocks in the sand. He picked them up, and tested the laser turrets by throwing them one at a time in different directions...no rock survived.

"No real surprise there..." He mused. "...though clearly those turrets aren't top of the line, if they were I wouldn't even be standing here. They must be older models because of their shorter range of targeting." He grabbed a dozen more rocks before sighing. "Well I just hope I haven't lost my touch." He preyed to himself.

Fox closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them, determination now shining in them. Then he throw the all the rocks into the turret's target range, and made a mad dash for a door of the mansion a moment afterward. Fox's ear's twitched each time he heard a rock explode from a blast, as he kept running towards the door.

"_Four..."_ He counted down the remaining rocks getting that much closer o the door. _"...three..."_ He noticed one of the turrets target him as he sidestepped the laser. _"...two..."_ He felt another turret target him, so he unhooked his cloak and jumped from under it's protection with the blast shooting through the clothing. _"...one!"_ He made a dive towards the door, though felt the heat of a laser graze his leg.

Fox crashed through the door, nearly pulling it off it's hinges, as he tumbled on the ground several times until he stopped now lying on his back, his feet pointed towards the door.

"I SHOULD congratulate you on being the ONLY furry out of many to have successfully breached my home..." Fox heard a familiar voice say, as he opened his eyes and once again saw a blaster pointed between his eyes, with Kursed standing above him. "...however considering I'm growing quite tired of this game of Cat and Mouse we seem to be playing McCloud, I'll allow you to live instead...for now.."

Fox couldn't quite believe it...he had actually found her again. "Krystal..." He whispered, making her arch a delicate brow.

"I do believe I said my name was Kursed." She corrected, taking the blaster from his head, allowing him to get up.

He did so, though wobbled still dizzy from the leap. "I know what you called yourself...but I know you. You ARE Krystal...the last of the Cerinians." He accused confidently.

Kursed merely looked at him for a moment before turning and took a seat in a rather luxurious looking chair.

"And what prey-tell makes you think I'm her...aside from our similar looks?"

"Your eyes..." He answered bluntly, making her tilt her head in question. "...no...not the eyes themselves...but what lies underneath them. Under your cold, heartless eyes as Kursed, I can still see the kindness and warmth you let show back when you called yourself Krystal." He explained.

Kursed scoffed harshly. "Is that ALL the evidence you have McCloud? If so I must say your investigative skills are quite lacking."

He shook his head. "I also heard your Cerinian accent when you called me Fox before you left Kew."

At this admittance, Kursed's eyes widened before all pretense of what little hospitality she had shown vanished, with her body language growing hostile. She shot up from her seat, a low threatening growl rumbling at the base of her throat, getting right into Fox's face with her ears lying flat against her head.

"Leave...NOW!" She barked harshly.

Fox was taken aback by her abrupt change. "W...What?"

Kursed's growl resounded through the room, her muzzle peeling back showing her shining fangs. "LEAVE!" She snarled.

Getting enough time to rein in his surprise, he took a defiant step forward, their snouts now barely an inch apart.

"No! I broke a promise to you once already, I'm not going to make the same stupid mistake again!"

Kursed's ears perked at this, as she took a step back. "ROX!" She yelled, making Fox tense and look around for a possible partner he didn't account for.

"Yes Kursed?" A feminine robotic voice called out from what seemed like the house itself.

Fox merely watched in surprise as Kursed spoke again. "Deactivate perimeter defenses." She ordered, and no sooner had she, did the low humming of the laser turrets from outside stop, indicating them powered down. "Fight me!" She then commanded.

Fox looked at her like she grew a second head. "What do you me..."

Fox's question was cut short as a fist smashed into his face so hard it sent him flying through the doorway he had just entered from and slid several feet through the sand before stopping.

He groaned in pain at the sucker punch. _"Damn...she got stronger."_ He admitted, wobbly getting to his feet.

When he steadied himself, he looked up to see Kursed rushing towards him, her right arm cocked back ready for another hit. His eyes widened at seeing the fierce glint in her eyes, and had he not been such a superb hand-to-hand fighter in the Cornerian academy. he probably wouldn't have dodged the fist the was thrust at him like a spear, when Kursed reached him. She followed up with a knee to his stomach which forced him to cough and lean over. Kursed tried to knee him in his bent over snout but he recovered enough to catch the knee with his open palm, before grabbing her prone leg, and spun launching her away from him.

She landed gracefully in a crouching position in the sand. "Krystal what the hell are you doing!?" He yelled across the way, as she got up and leveled a heated glare at him.

"You said you aren't going to leave...which means I will just have to beat you until you do!"

His expression turned to shock and confusion. "Krystal, this...this is insane! I'm not going to fight you! I can't possibly fight you!" He retorted.

He heard another angry growl from her before she rushed towards him again, though now knowing the situation he was better prepared for it. As she reached him, she tried to slide across the sand to sweep his feet from under him, but he just jumped into the air. Though he quickly learned that was a mistake when he felt a fluffy appendage, which he quickly realized was her tail, grab his ankle and slam him harshly face first into the sand. He raised his face from the sand and coughed having some in his mouth and nose. He then saw an eclipsing shadow growing over him, before his eyes widened and he rolled out of the way as Kursed appeared delivering an Axe-Kick to the sand where his skull was only moments before.

He got to his feet and jumped back to get some distance between them. "Why are you not fighting back Fox McCloud? Surely the rumors of your skills as a fighter that I've heard so much about aren't just tall tales." She mocked after dusting the sand off her uniform.

The old Fox would have taken the bait, hook, line and sinker, but he wasn't the same foolish kit he had once been. His experiences and pain caused him to evolve into a more stable and mindful adult.

"Because I'm not going to fight you Krystal." He repeated.

"I told you...my name is Kursed!" She screamed and once again attacked him, however he noticed that she was faster than before, and was having a much harder time defending himself without hurting her. "Fight back McCloud!" She roared, before tackling him to the ground.

Fox grunted in pain, thanks to Kursed's extra weight pinning him down as she straddled his stomach when they landed in the hot sand. He had no time to recover as he immediately felt Kursed's fists bury themselves deeply in any opening she could find on his stomach, ribs, chest and head. Every time her fists landed, it felt like he was being hit by a sledgehammer, his flesh instantly caving in and twisting grotesquely from the inhuman strength behind them. Yet they also seemed as fast as lightning, when one fist pulled away, the other impacted him immediately, sending him deeper and deeper into the sand crater his body was forming from her attacks.

In one instance when her fist connected with his jaw he could have sworn he was going to black out. Whether it be from the immense pain in his jaw, which he immediately thought had been broken, or from whiplash when his head twisted viciously to the side from the blow. He could see the fury not only in her blazing gaze, but also her trembling body as each blow landed. It was almost as if Krystal's spirit had taken possession of Kursed's body and was now taking out all of her untapped rage on him He spit up several spurts of blood during the devastating assault, before he could concentrate enough to begin blocking. He was successful somewhat, but Kursed had him at a very obvious disadvantage with him pinned. That however changed when he turned his head at the last second from a blow that threatened to impale his head with her claws. The attack had only grazed his cheek, blood already trickling down his fur. More importantly however, her strike was so strong that her hand got stuck in the sand.

Fox took his chance, as she attempted to pry her hand free. "I won't fight back!" He defied, before grabbing the vixen's toned thighs and with all his might flipped her up and over him.

The flip did the trick, though inadvertently dislodged Kursed's hand as her back slammed onto the sand making her grunt in both surprise and pain. Fox scrambled to his feet to try and pin her down, but as he reached her had no time to react to what she did. Kursed had just pushed off the sand doing a back-flip, only for her boots to connect square in the middle of Fox's snout. He wobbled backwards, his eyes slightly watering from the blow, watching through blurry vision as Kursed finished her flip, and was once again back on her feet.. Fox wiped the blood running down his nose and knew if his snout wasn't broken by her very first punch in the mansion...it sure was now. He spit out a glob of blood, knowing that at the rate things were progressing he was going to either end up dead, or unconscious...neither appealing to him for obvious reasons He decided to attempt to end this unnecessary fighting, and bum-rushed Kursed.

Kursed saw this, and prepared herself for his attack, however was caught by surprise when only a few feet from her Fox skidded to a stop. The skid caused a wave of sand to cascade into the air heading right towards her. Her natural instincts kicked in and her arms automatically went up to protect her face from the blast of sand when it smashed into her. No sooner did the sand hit her that a paw grabbed her right wrist and pulled it painfully behind her back. At the same time an arm circled her chest, entrapping her other arm, and pulled her flush against a body. She could feel warm, labored breath tickling her ear with the same rhythm of the expanding and contracting chest pressed against her back.

Despite the situation, Fox couldn't help himself. _"Inari...I missed her smell"_ He thought with her hair tickling his nose as he breathed...reminding him of her nearly intoxicating scent he enjoyed all those years ago.

"So is this it?" Her voice whispered, knocking him out of his pleasant thoughts. "Was this pathetic spectacle ALL the resolve the great Fox McCloud had to find the vixen he declared to find no matter what? If so, its no wonder why you haven't found her yet...and transversely the reason I won't tell you where she is!" She growled.

Her final words caused Fox's grip to loosen from surprise. "What do you...AGHH!" He began but howled in pain mid-sentence when Kursed's boot rose up straight between his legs and connected square in his groin.

Kursed jumped out of his grasp easily, as Fox fell to his knees in pain already feeling the bile rise in his throat from the pain. He tried to look up through blurry eyes, only to see seconds before Kursed's boot slam into his temple from a roundhouse kick...then he saw darkness.

* * *

**AN – So there is chapter two, with the pair's first TRUE encounter and Kursed beating the shit out of Fox...not that he didn't deserve it.**

**Review if you like with your thoughts or comments.**


	3. Kursed? or Krystal?

**AN – Well here is chapter three of my Star Fox story. Glad for those who reviewed you enjoyed the fight scene.**

**Anyway here is chapter three, right where last chapter left off...enjoy!**

**I don't own star fox.**

STAR FOX - normal speech

_STAR FOX_ - thinking

* * *

**Chapter 3: Kursed? or Krystal?**

Fox's emerald eyes opened, before quickly closing as he hissed at the overhead lights beating down on him.

"_Ugh...feel like I was just run over by a herd of Prince Trickys"_ Fox mentally moaned out, his entire body sore and in pain.

He opened his eyes slower, and let them get adjusted to the blazing white light. Despite the generic white washed room that he noticed was a medical ward, only to quickly recognize it as the medical ward aboard the Great Fox.

He decided to test his theory. "ROB?"

A few seconds passed. "Yes Fox?"

A sigh a relief escaped him, at least he knew where he was. "Report...how did I get here?"

"You returned to the Great Fox in your Arwing via auto-pilot."

Fox shook his head attempting to shake off his dizziness, not really understanding what the robot meant. He was unconscious in the middle of the Titanian desert, several miles away from his ship. How could he make it all the way there, put on the auto-pilot, get himself to the medical ward and NOT remember any of it?

He sat up only to yelp when a blinding pain shot through his ribs. _"Krystal..."_ The pain finally reminded him of everything. _"...she must have put me in the ship and sent it on auto-pilot back here."_

He pulled the white sheet off, revealing him in a white medical gown, letting his legs dangle off the side of the bed.

"It is inadvisable for the patient to move, injuries have not been given enough time to heal for active duty."

Hearing this Fox's body froze and asked the obvious question. "ROB what are the extents of my injuries?"

"Patient: Fox McCloud...entered the medical ward yesterday at 14:24 pm with slight internal bleeding due to two fractured left ribs. He also sustained a broken snout, multiple lacerations to the torso, head and upper extremities. As well as a second-degree blaster burn on the right calf and finally minor testicular trauma. Severe bruising was found and later confirmed for over 20% of his body once the swelling had dissipated, located on the corresponding areas of the lacerations. Surgery was required to stop the internal bleeding, stitches were sewn to close the lacerations, along with realignment of the snout. Ice was applied for the testicular trauma, bruising and laser burn. The ribs were left to heal on their own, with anti-pain medication supplied for stability of the patient. Estimated time for full recovery...two months."

Hearing his condition Fox paled. _"Well after what I've done she certainly deserved to take out her 'ten pounds of flesh' from my hide."_ He couldn't help but chuckle mirthlessly, before hissing and cradled his sore ribs in pain.

He slipped off the bed and groaned in more pain as the pads of his feet touched the cold steel plates aggravating the burn on his leg, and sore groin. He slowly limped his way towards the exit of the medical ward, leaning on the wall for support.

"I repeat, patient Fox McCloud should not leave the medical ward until his wounds have healed."

Fox didn't stop this time. "I heard you the first time ROB...however there are things that CAN'T wait for me to recover. SHE won't wait..." He whispered the last part to himself, before leaving.

He reached his room and began searching for clothes, but stopped his search when he came across a picture in his closet that made a shadow of a smile cross his muzzle. It was one of the only pictures he had with the entire team together. There was Slippy on the far right side making the peace sign with a dopey smile, Falco on the far left his arms crossed with a small smile...one of the few Fox had ever seen him make. Then there was Peppy next to Slippy with a gentle, fatherly smile on his face. Finally there was Krystal and himself. She stood between him and Falco, her arms playfully wrapped around his waist giving the camera one of her usual beautiful smiles, while he smiled awkwardly with a rosy blush stained across his face from her actions. He couldn't help but caress the edges of the picture at all the warm, happy memories it reminded him of. Unfortunately reality came back to him when he blinked and turned away from the picture, clothes in hand.

Once again though he grew distracted when he walked past his full-length mirror and saw his reflection. He turned to fully face the mirror and saw the full extent of the beating Kursed had given him. He mentally winced as he saw the black bruising, stitches, and surgical incision along his fur and flesh despite the bandages hiding some of it. He knew at that moment had it been anyone else he wouldn't take such a risk with moving around so soon. But the wound that his gaze then zeroed in on reminded him of just who he was sacrificing so much for. He raised a paw and gently grazed the large diagonal shaped "X" scar across his chest where his heart was. It was a wound and later scar he inflicted upon himself as a constant reminder of what he had done to HER. Taking his paw away from it, he moved along and changed as quickly as his body would allow.

Finally dressed, he headed towards the hanger bay. "ROB?"

"Yes Fox?"

"Has there been any activity of the Silent Phantom since I returned?"

"The Silent Phantom's engines and G-Diffusers have not been activated since it last landed on Titania two days ago."

Fox let out a sigh of relief. _"Good, she hasn't disappeared then."_

"As you yourself stated I am unable to do the simplest tasks without pain. So once I get into the Arwing, I'll need you to put it back on auto-pilot and try to land it as close to the Silent Phantom as possible, regardless of safety."

There was silence for a brief moment. "It is inadvisable to leave the safety of the Great Fox at this time."

Fox chuckled. "I know that, but it doesn't matter much anymore." He countered. "Besides I'm giving you an order."

Another silence passed...almost as if ROB was thinking about it. "Affirmative."

Fox soon reached the hanger and with much effort finally entered the cockpit of the Arwing with a pained grunt.

He started up the ship's computer. "ROB...its your show.." He bequeathed.

"Affirmative."

"And ROB?"

"Yes Fox?"

"Should I not communicate with the Great Fox in the next seventy-two hours...I want you to go back to Corneria and get the general to contact Star Falco to use you as their new flag ship."

"Affirmative" He heard the robot agree...though he could have sworn that ROB's voice actually sounded...sad.

Fox smiled in satisfaction, popped a few anti-pain pills he swiped from the medical ward and closed his eyes attempting to get as much rest as he could, as the engines and G-Diffusers hummed to life. It only felt like seconds ago that Fox had closed his eyes, yet it had been at least thirty minutes, since the Arwing had to swing to the other side of the planet before it once again touched the sandy surface of the planet. He exited the ship and wrapped a fresh cloak around himself, before he was off in the half mile trek back to Kursed's mansion turned fortress. It took him over an hour to reach the perimeter of Kursed's' hideout thanks to his wounds.

He chuckled to himself seeing the laser turrets. "I doubt I'll even be able to get past them like I am now." Like last time he picked up as many rocks as he could. "Well good luck to me." He whispered before tossing the rocks in every direction in the air, and then jetted towards the mansion.

His luck this time around seemed to have run out however, for he was only three-quarters of the way to the mansion by the time all the rocks were blown away. Fox realized this, and knew there was nothing he could do now as the turrets rotated around getting him in their sights. He skidded to a stop and just stood there with closed eyes awaiting the inevitable. A good ten seconds passed, and not understanding why he wasn't dead yet took a chance and let his left eye peel open.

What he saw made no sense...all of the laser turrets were pointing away from him...seeming to be in their 'stand-by' status, as if he wasn't even there. Despite this, he was still on edge...Kursed could just be toying with him before ending his life. With this in mind he ever so slowly moved his left hand out from his body expecting the limb to be blow off immediately from the movement. Yet once again nothing happened, he grew slightly emboldened by this and took a slow tentative step forward. The crunch of sand sounding like glass shattering into thousands of pieces in his nervous ears. He took another step forward, then another and another...until he was only a few yards away from the door. Not wanting to test his luck any longer he made a mad dash for the door, reaching it without incident before jumping into the mansion, the door closing behind him.

"Guest: Fox McCloud secure...perimeter defenses back on red alert." The robotic voice of ROX resounded throughout the house.

Fox attempted to calm down, though was quite confused. _"If she wanted me out...why would she make it easier for me to enter later by using the DNA in my blood to make the computer label me as a non-enemy?"_

As if reading his mind Kursed's voice echoed through the hall. "Because I know how stubborn you can be, and I'd prefer NOT having the entire Lylat System's military breathing down my neck because Fox McCloud was too stubborn to stay away from me and died because of it." Fox turned towards the voice only for his jaw to drop and face flush a deep crimson at what he now saw.

In one of the archways of the hall stood a bored looking Kursed, her fur, hair and tail were wet and matted down...a CLEAR indication she had JUST gotten out of the shower. One of her paws currently held up a midnight black towel that covered her from the beginning valley of her breasts, down to her mid-thighs. The towel itself did little to hide the curves of her feminine form...in fact if one were to ask Fox at this juncture he'd admit the towel only helped to accentuate her voluptuous figure right now.

"Are you quite done?" Her slightly annoyed voice knocked him out of his obvious gawking.

He shook his head and looked away in embarrassment his cheeks still burning. Now while not as shy as he used to be back when Krystal always used to tease him...it was still embarrassing to just walk in on someone who was practically naked...especially someone who was as attractive as Kursed was. While Fox would openly admit to anyone in a heartbeat that Krystal was the most attractive vixen he'd ever laid eyes on. He'd too admit that Kursed was coming in at a VERY close second, despite her not having the tribal markings which Krystal harbored that he had always secretly found rather sexy.

"S...Sorry"

Kursed said nothing in response and simply padded her way across the hall and into another part of the mansion. Despite his embarrassment Fox's eyes couldn't help but be completely mesmerized by the erotic sway of the bounty hunter's firm looking behind, and shapely hips as she walked. He wasn't sure if the sway was some kind of impish revenge for his inopportune and quite inappropriate intrusion, or if it was just her natural walk. Either way it caused an arousing shiver to run up his spine, before his attention was brought back thanks to her disappearing beyond the hall. Fox shook his head of the vixen's image, and while wanting to confront her NOW, still had manners enough to simply wait for her to return. However after a good five minutes he grew impatient and headed towards the room Kursed had entered. He was about to turn the corner when Kursed appeared, making them almost knock into one another. Their muzzles were inches apart, before Fox scuttled back with Kursed following him back into the hall, taking a seat like she had done in their last meeting.

"Now care to explain why you have come back McCloud?" She questioned lazily, before her muzzle peeled back showing her fangs in a vicious smirk as she eyed the heavily bruised and bandaged vulpine. "Or are you just a glutton for punishment?" She tilted her head in bemusement. "Never took you for a masochist."

Fox took a moment to calm his racing heart from their near collision, before speaking. "Its the same reason I followed you here, I want...no...I NEED to talk to you Krystal."

Kursed saw his stubbornness glinting in his eyes. "Still with calling me Krystal huh?" She rhetorically questioned, before sighing softly. "You're not going to give this up are you?" Fox shook his head defiantly, making Kursed get up from her chair "I suppose I have no choice then..." She began as she grabbed a cloak from her coat rack. "...follow me." She ordered.

Fox's brow arched in confusion, but nonetheless followed after she deactivated the turrets. He followed her outside and around the back of her fortress before trekking into the desert.

"Where are we going?" He couldn't help but ask, his body feeling weak from all the movement thanks to his injuries.

The only response to his question was the slight turn of the cloak around her head. "We are going to see Krystal, so that you will finally leave me alone." She answered monotonously, though there was a hint of annoyance as well.

Both excitement and confusion splashed across his face at her words, but he decided to hold his questions until they reached their destination. It was another ten minutes before Kursed stopped after rounding the bend of a large sand dune. Fox followed her and turned to see the dune was actually formed by a small cave. One probably used by furries as protection against the harsh environment when traversing the planet. It was still the afternoon, so the cave was lit well enough, as the two ventured inside. The cave itself was quite barren, there were no stalagmites or stalactites, the 'ceiling' and 'walls' of the cave were smooth rock, with the 'floor' made of finely ground sand. The deeper they went the more nervous Fox got, so much so his paw began to inch closer and closer to his blaster. Suddenly Kursed stopped, with Fox nearly knocking into her due to his distracted thoughts.

"Why did you..."

"She's here."

Fox was confused...there was NOTHING here just more rock and sand. Seeing that Kursed wasn't planning on moving, he decided to instead and walked around the vixen only to let out a sharp gasp.

"No..." Ne whispered disbelievingly.

In front of him now, rising like a miniature obelisk was a large red stone. The stone itself wasn't important to Fox...but what it represented thanks to the words carved into it did.

Kursed spoke the words on the stone:

"Krystal"

"2503 - 2526"

"The Last Cerinian"

The moment the last syllable left her lips, Fox felt to his knees with a crunchy thud.

"I...It c...can't be..." He whined pathetically.

"It is" She confirmed mercilessly.

Fox stared at the ground where Krystal lay. "H...How?" Tears staining the corners of his eyes.

Kursed knew the rest of the question. "How do you think? She died of a broken heart." Her answer while sounding emotionless, held a hint of sadistic pleasure that Fox didn't catch.

Fox let out a choked sob at her brutal words, tears beginning to flow down his face. His upper body felt so heavy now, he was forced to slam a paw to the dirt just to keep himself up. He read the words on the stone for what seemed like a million times, before his paw squeezed some of the sand into a fist.

"You're lying." He accused angrily, and saw Kursed's confused expression when he whipped his head to glare at her.

"What reason would I lie about something as serious as this?" She retorted, Fox's glare lifting only only slightly as he kept silent. "If you don't believe my words then look for yourself...she is buried only a few feet."

Fox's eyes widened at her suggestion...could he really do that? REALLY defile someone's grave like that simply to prove to him the truth? Defile HER grave? His mind reeled at the conflicting thoughts towards the argument, so much so his paws began trembling.

He turned from Kursed to look at the vixen's grave. _"I'll never TRULY know unless I do this. And if it is Krystal...well she can't be any more angry with me than she was when she was still alive."_ He contemplated before deciding on his action.

Kursed watched on in morbid curiosity as she saw Fox begin digging through the sand with his paws. It was about ten minutes later that a wooden thud was finally heard, before Fox frantically ripped the sand off the casket.

He closed his eyes. "Forgive me Krystal" He whispered, before grabbing the lid and slowly pulled it off.

A sharp cry of a broken heart echoed in the cave when Fox opened his eyes. Lying in the casket was a skeleton, clearly the sands of Titania didn't sit well with decomposition, when the body had only been buried about six years ago. Not only did the sight of the clearly feminine, and quite vulpine skeleton spear through Fox's heart. But the clincher was the golden jewelry clearly etched with Cerininan glyphs that lay nestled around the skeleton's neck and head. The jewelry that Fox could recognize anywhere...the same jewelry that Krystal had warn the first time they met, and for several months later until she began wearing Lylatian attire. Fox slowly leaned over the casket tears hitting the skeleton softly. With a trembling paw he reached in to caress the skull of the vixen where her cheek would have been.

"Do you believe me now McCloud? Will you FINALLY leave me in peace?" Kursed's voice echoed in the cave, as she watched the vulpine's shoulders shudder with sobs.

Fox remained silent, as several minutes passed before Kursed grew impatient and prepared to leave him alone to grieve. However when she was about to turn, she saw Fox's body go completely rigid catching her attention once more. Fox's head slowly turned over his shoulder, the pair's green eyes meeting once again.

"This is a lie..." He spoke out of nowhere, before turning around and stood to face Kursed completely. "...it HAS to be! Krystal wouldn't die because of such a stupid mistake on my part! She was too strong for something like that!" He roared.

Kursed was surprised at his reaction, so surprised in fact she nearly missed evading when Fox blasted forward with his fist coming screaming at her. She jumped back to gain some distance and saw what few could claim to have ever seen...a completely enraged Fox McCloud. He was slightly hunched over, his fangs bared, his entire body heaving up and down through angry, panted breath.

"Are you enjoying this!?" He questioned harshly, tears still streaming down his eyes. "Enjoying my misery, by lying to me about you being dead!? Well!? Are you KRYSTAL!?"

Her surprise wore off, before she decided to speak. "The only pleasure I take out of this is knowing that you won't follow me, or bother me any more McCloud."

A loud roar echoed through the cave as Fox raged towards the vixen again. Fortunately for Kursed, because of Fox's rage his attacks were sloppy and now easily avoidable thanks to her being naturally faster than he was. She continued to dodge his punches and led him to one of the walls of the cave, where she dodged another punch. However when his fist impacted THROUGH the stone wall, she took a chance and fell to a crouching position before sending a jab hard in the ribs knowing the area was still tender from her previous onslaught. Fox howled in both pain and fury, before sending a knee towards her prone face. Kursed anticipated this strike since it was one of the few available to the stuck vulpine, so she pivoted out of the way of his knee which too hammered through the wall and countered it with a kidney punch. Fox grunted in pain but recovered enough to send an enraged swipe of his only free claws back towards her. The claws screamed past her face as she jumped back out of the way. The new distance gave her a chance to see the damage Fox had done to the wall, causing her eyes to open in shock. She was never more glad than now that she was faster than him because as witnessed by the large spiderweb cracks where his frenzied fist and knee connected with the solid rock walls...she was completely outmatched in sheer brute strength.

Fox pulled his limbs free of the rocks not paying any mind to his now bleeding knuckles and leg, before he growled menacingly and charged her again. Kursed dodged his vicious attacks though was much more cautious now knowing just what a single solid hit on her would do. Despite the danger however, her own righteous anger began to bubble and she decided to take out some more well deserved aggression out on him. As they continued their deadly dance across the span the cave, Kursed began to wear the enraged vulpine down, by attacking all of his current weak points when the opportunities his defenses arose. Of course she made sure to savor the moments when she felt the flesh and fur of his face twist and cave in when her fists dug into it. Along with hearing the sweet melody of his pained grunts escape his blood-ridden lips and muzzle with each attack. Then lets not forget the pleasurable sonata when creaking fibrous snaps of his ribs threatening to break rang throughout her sensitive ears.

Their fight continued on like this for several more minutes, with Fox desperately trying to rip Kursed asunder with claw and fang, as Kursed herself took gluttonous pleasure literally beat the enraged vulpine to a bloody pulp. But after delivering a particularly demolishing kick across Fox's already battered ribs causing him to spray a stream of blood across the sand, Kursed jumped back a good distance from him. By this time, Fox's anger and adrenaline were quickly wearing thin, then compounded with his old injuries resurfacing and new ones appearing, his attacks became even more sloppy and weak Fox by now was breathing erratically through pants out of obvious exhaustion compared to anger from before, yet he defiantly stared at his prey through half-lidded eyes. His entire upper body heaved while he breathed. His drying blood by now covering him in a generous crimson coat staining his fur and clothing. Fresh blood could be seen slowly dripping down his forehead, nose, muzzle, and several places along his torso from some of his stitches reopening or new lacerations thanks to Kursed's vicious pummeling. Seeing that Fox was obviously on his last legs and not wanting to accidentally kill him, she took this as a sign to end it.

So when Fox once again thrust his claws forward to impale her head, she dodged and grabbed the wrist of the offending arm. With his defense lowered, she rammed her fist into his chest sending him careening back several yards skidding across the sand. By the time Fox had stopped his momentum Kursed had already rocketed towards him and was only a few feet away before she did a back flip through the air. Thanks to her forward momentum she easily closed the distance between them and executed her moonsault flawlessly, her right foot slamming into the bottom of his muzzle. The kick was so strong that it propelled the weary vulpine off his feet, onto his back and once again into darkness as the final remnants of adrenaline left him. Kursed landed gracefully on a knee completing the moonsault, before standing up to catch her haggard breath. She leaned on her knees for support as she panted, now feeling her own weariness and the few grazing attacks that Fox actually landed taking their toll. She kept her eyes on Fox who now whimpered with tears streaming down his face over the emotional roller coaster he just went through. Once she recovered enough Kursed pressed several buttons on her suit's wrist comm.

"ROX?"

"Yes Kursed?"

"Send my ship to my coordinates."

"Affirmative." And with that the communication was severed.

She took a look at the war-zone around her. "You're a stubborn fool McCloud." She shook her head sighing, before looking back down at Fox. "You really love her don't you?" She queried the unconscious vulpine.

She shook her head, and with what little strength remaining lifted Fox across her shoulders before dragging them both to the entrance of the cave.

* * *

**AN – So there is chapter three, with Fox going back for more answers only to come out with more questions...and Kursed beating the shit out of Fox...again. Hope this fight was as interesting as the last.**

**Review if you like with your thoughts or comments.**

**PS – The "Moonsault" maneuver I used when I came up with the fight scene was the "Getsurin" move that Kasumi and Ryu Hayabusa use in the Dead-or-Alive video game series. NOT the professional wrestling move seen in the WWF/WWE (though they ARE slightly similar). If you want to know which I had Kursed use against Fox can look it up on youtube.**


	4. New Beginnings

**AN – Not much to say aside from here is the final chapter for "New Beginnings".**

**Review Answering:**

**DevilsArcadia777:**** *laughs* Actually there wasn't suppose to be any sexual tension in the story. It was only suppose to show how much Fox misses Krystal, and the fact that Kursed reminds him so much of her that he can't help some of the things he does (smelling her (even if involuntarily), staring at her when she was only wrapped in a towel). But the fights should have shown you that if there was any sexual tension it is ALL on Fox's side. Kursed would never reciprocate.**

**As for your thoughts on the ending of the story, well you'll just have to read this chapter and find out...but the title of the story AND this chapter's should give you a good idea.**

**Leaf Ranger:**** You may not know it but it takes a lot of planning to create a fake death, AND have the major population believe that it is the real deal. Plus doing something like that would be VERY extreme for what he is trying to accomplish. Not saying the plan isn't possible...just a lot better plans out there than faking your own death.**

**Tori Rex:**** Read the chapter and the whole 'body' thing will be explained and you'll understand. But I agree the whole heart broken thing WAS while true (in a sense, as you'll see) is also a bit harsh. Like rubbing salt on a wound**

**Anyway here is chapter four, right where last chapter left off...enjoy!**

**I don't own star fox.**

STAR FOX - normal speech

_STAR FOX_ - thinking

* * *

**Chapter 4: New Beginnings**

Once again Fox was inside the medical ward of the Great Fox...however this time he was not alone. Sitting in a chair next to the sleeping vulpine was Kursed who watched him resting. As she did this, her current thoughts caused her vision to grow unfocused, as the memory of Krystal and Fox's last conversation played out.

**Flashback (6 years ago),**

"_I wonder why Fox called me up here all of a sudden?"_ Krystal pondered as the elevator she was in brought her to the deck of the Great Fox.

The elevator soon stopped with the doors hissing open. As she got out, she saw Fox leaning on the railing at the end of the flagship looking out into a Cornerian sunset. She smiled gently, with a tinge of purple across her cheeks. The scene was rather romantic with the sunset creating a warm glow over everything it touched...Fox included.

She walked up to her leader "Fox?"

He turned at hearing her, and smiled gently...though she noticed the smile showed something else...something she couldn't put her paw on, though she dismissed it quickly.

"Hey" He welcomed warmly...yet again there was an undertone she couldn't quite understand...and it made her a bit nervous...Fox had always been easy to read even without her telepathy.

She walked next to him and rested her arms on the railing like he had just been doing "Its beautiful"

Fox looked at her, before looking at the sunset she was now watching, and went back to his original position. "Y...Yeah it is."

Krystal giggled softly...it was quite adorable how easily flustered he got when around her. "So..." She turned to him. "...you wanted to talk to me? Is everything alright? You seem kinda...troubled over something lately."

His fingers fidgeted with one another when she mentioned him being bothered...she really had no idea just how RIGHT she was.

"I...uh...yeah wanted to talk to you." He answered nervously. "Do you remember everything we've been through since I saved you on Sauria?"

Krystal tilted her head curiously _"Does he want to reminisce?"_

"Of course..." She answered, a smile forming along her muzzle as she turned back to the sunset. "...how could I forget? You saved Sauria and I from Andross, then helped train me to be a member of Star Fox. And together we defeated the Apariods." She reminisced, only to see a frown on Fox's face when she turned to him. "Fox...is something wrong?"

At this fox stood up and turned his back to her. "I want you to leave Star Fox."

Krystal looked in surprise at Fox's back...not sure what was going on, until a nervous smile crossed her muzzle.

"That's a good one Fox...trying to get back at me for all my teasing huh?" She chuckled halfheartedly, but got no response from him after several moments. "Fox? Come on...the joke is over. I know I may have enjoyed your reactions a bit too much but this going a bit far for a revenge prank." Her smile fell away when he once again said nothing. "Fox? T...This isn't funny anymore..." She was beginning to seriously worry. "...Fox...whats going on?"

His body remained stoic. "I said I want you to leave Star Fox" He reiterated, his voice hollow.

Any thoughts that this was a prank or joke immediately left her, and dread began to grip her heart.

"W...Why?"

"Because Star fox is better off." He answered vaguely.

Her now bruised pride, made her ask the obvious question. "What do you mean...better off?"

He looked over his shoulder, his emerald eyes gleaming with an emotion she couldn't recognize ever seeing him with. "I mean that your skills aren't up to par with what a member of Star Fox requires."

She grew confused, evident by her expression. "But you've praised me several times in the past on my skills."

Fox turned his head away. "I was just trying to be nice...I knew you had no one else to rely on being the last Cerinian, so I was overly supportive. However our battle with the Aparoids has shown me and should have shown you what I mean about your lack of skills. Had I not been there to bail you out numerous times...you'd have died in any one of those missions. In hindsight however, the blame rests completely on me as the leader of Star Fox. It was my mistake to baby you for so long...it was a foolish, and almost irreversible mistake on my part. A mistake which I will rectify before your life or the lives of the others are once again in danger."

Krystal flinched at his words before she opened her muzzle to counter him but closed it soon after realizing that Fox was right. There wasn't a time in many of the missions dealing with the Aparoids in which she didn't need his help to be rescued. She closed her eyes in sorrow at his words, and shame for her own apparent lack of skills. Even after over a year in Star Fox and under their training, she still remained a damsel in distress...something she had promised herself she'd rectify after joining them.

She sniffled a few times as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I can do better, I can train more on the simulator to become a better pilot. You can take me out flying and make me do the exercises you did back when you first became a pilot." She countered in a whisper...grasping at ANY straws she could to remain.

Fox easily heard her whisper, which made it even more difficult to speak. "Yes you can, you can spend an infinite number of hours on the simulator, or in the skies under my supervision. However you will grow no more skilled then you are now. Being a pilot isn't all about training, being a pilot is more about natural talent than anything. Flying runs in my family's blood, flowing even deeper than my father's, the same for Falco, its the main component on why we are as good as we are. No amount of training can ever hope to match a pilot's natural talent for flying Krystal...a talent you have shown you do not possess. That is why you'll never be anything more than an 'average' pilot."

Krystal was quickly losing her composure as Fox's words cut deeper and deeper into her heart and pride. "So you're just gonna boot me off the team? Just like that? What about my main skill, telepathy? Even YOU stated while fighting the Aparoids that it was a skill Star Fox was lucky to have!" She argued, hoping her trump card would deter his decision.

Fox's body began to shake, his fists squeezing tight. "As the leader of Star Fox I have to consider what is best for the team as a whole. And as I just stated, you remaining on the team with your skills as they are, will only make you a liability rather than an asset. After all, what use is telepathy if you're shot down unable to continue fighting, or worse yet...killed? No...its like I said, its best for EVERYONE if you were off the team."

Krystal clinched her chest in pain as if he has just stabbed her, she felt waves of shame wash over her at his words which had cut down her most precious and useful talent into useless ribbons at her feet. His words caused such shame and discord in herself. So much in fact she didn't even think of using said ability to read the vulpine's thoughts to see if there was more to this discussion than meets the eye.

Her sorrow and shameful tears thanks to his answer began to run down her face. "So you think you know whats best for me because you're the leader!? Damn you Fox..." She sobbed, her broken pride taking a vengeful jab at him. "...how can you possibly think I'd be better off away from Star Fox, despite my "average" skills!? And away from..." She paused...her mind conflicting on whether to finished the sentence. "...from...from...the vulpine that I love!?" She shouted, deciding to finally openly admit her feelings for him.

Fox's body stiffened at her admittance...not that it was a surprise, the signs were there after all, but certainly a new twist when they are finally spoken.

"I...I know that Krystal." He whispered.

Krystal moved up behind him and tentatively placing a paw flat against his quivering back. "Then tell me why...why are you pushing me away?" She pleaded.

"Because its for the good of the team..." He answered. "...the feelings you have for me will also only cause problems down the road for Star Fox."

Her paw gripped his shirt tightly at this, as she looked towards the ground. "I don't care! I...I want to be with you! And if not WITH you, than at least remain by your side...please Fox!" She whimpered.

He stepped out of her grasp "My mind is made up." His voice was cold as ice.

She sniffled, and looked back up at him. "And what about your HEART!?" She urged. "You can't tell me you don't have some feelings for me after all this time! I KNOW you do!"

Fox's body trembled even more now. "My feelings...whatever they may be...are immaterial right now. And your own are blocking your common sense from understanding that its better for Star Fox and yourself to leave the team and start a new life while we have some semblance of peace. You need to get a hold of yourself Krystal and see the truth..." He turned to her once again, his emerald eyes sharp, cold and unwavering. "...you need to stop being so selfish."

Hearing his emotionless response she flinched taking a step back as if burned by Fox's words. Only her sobs could be heard for the next few minutes, until they shortened to heavy sniffles.

"Fine..." She conceded wiping her eyes with her paws. "...if that is what you TRULY want Fox I'll leave." She conditioned, as she hoped against hope that Fox would reconsider what he was doing.

Several moments of torturous silence passed before he spoke. "That is what I truly want Krystal, Star Fox will be better off without you, and you will be better off without Star Fox and the dangers that come with being a member."

His words crushed the last remnants of her hope, as well as heart. Her tears started once again, and she turned from Fox and headed towards the elevator.

She stopped when the doors opened, and turned back to him, her expression full of sorrow "Then...this is good bye...Fox McCloud." Her voice was soft, and jittery reflecting the heartbreak and shame she felt.

She waited for a response, only for more tears to fall when none came...the elevator took her away soon after. The moment Fox heard the elevator far enough away he unleashed a hellish howl into the sky. One full of anguish, pain and self-loathing for what he had just done to the vixen he loved more than anything. He continued to howl for several heart-wrenching minutes...allowing all the emotions that he forced himself to bottle up to keep the charade in place for the conversation to finally be set loose. He stopped abruptly when he heard the telltale signs of an Arwing exiting the docking bay. He looked up to see Krystal's Arwing scream into the sky away from the Great Fox. At this Fox let out a blood-curdling howl even louder, and more emotional than all the ones before it. He only stopped when his lungs burned for air and he fell to his hands and knees, tears and sweat hitting the cool metal of the ship's plating.

"For her protection...for her protection...for her protection..." He repeated his self motivational mantra to give him what little peace of mind it could that he made the right decision to keep the enemies of Star Fox away from Krystal. Little did he know that it would not be long after this event that he realized the irreversible mistake he had made that day.

**Flashback end**

As Kursed's vision refocused she could now hear light whimpering. She turned to look at the vulpine beside her, who while still unconscious was tossing and turning in his bed. His IV units sloshing back and forth, from his movement, thanks to the several needles in his arms.

"...Krystal...forgive...please..."

Kursed arched a brow hearing the vulpine's static pleas, his tossing and turning becoming more like thrashing with the sounds of the heart monitor coming in more erratic, and loud bursts indicating his distress.

"KRYSTAL!" Fox suddenly shouted, shooting up from his bed, his eyes completely dilated with sweat pouring down his fur, his breaths coming in short erratic pants.

Fox's eyes darted in every direction, not knowing where he was. Soon however the familiar white walls of Great Fox's medical ward came into recognition. The vulpine's completely rigid body slowly began to relax realizing that the nightmare he was having ended and he was back in the waking world. The adrenaline began to wear off, causing his vision to swim, his head to grow dizzy, and his entire body to blaze in soul-shattering agony. He gritted his teeth, lest he let out an unholy roar of pain, closed his eyes and pressed his paw across his forehead and over his eyes, beginning to massage his temples. Using the last remnants of adrenaline he had, he slowly fell back to bed, softly groaning in pain..

"Deja vu" He groaned, feeling his heart slowing back to normal, and his pain beginning to subside.

"Not quite, there is ONE major difference between this time and the last." He heard a familiar feminine voice call out from beside his bed.

Once again Fox clamored to sit up, his surprise submerging the pain and turned to see Kursed sitting there watching him.

"K...Krystal?" He questioned, not quite believing she was there.

Kursed huffed in annoyance. "I'm just going to stop correcting you because clearly you don't understand that ISN'T my name."

Fox calmed, now knowing that she wasn't a figment of his imagination. "Why are you here?"

Kursed was expecting this question. "Because I'm cutting to the chase, clearly if you're stubborn enough to not only chase after me while injured as you were, but even deny her death after seeing her grave...then I know you'll NEVER leave me alone to do my job until I give you information on Krystal. Had you been anyone else I'd have left you to die at that tombstone, but as I said before I'd prefer NOT having an entire system coming after me because I killed their hero. So here I am to end things between us."

Fox nodded, remembering her annoyance at his own persistence. "Then you'll tell me where she is?"

Kursed leveled a small leer at him. "You know not many would be stubborn enough to believe the person they are looking for is still alive after seeing their grave." She stated out of the blue.

Hearing this a shadow of a smile appeared on Fox's muzzle. "Yeah...one of the only times I'm glad for it. It has cost me far more than I ever wished to have lost." He responded before shaking his head of the thoughts. "Though I have to ask...did you make that grave to deter me from questioning you? Because it seemed an overly elaborate ruse to use on only myself."

Kursed scoffed. "Do not be so narcissistic to think that grave was create solely for YOU McCloud. No I created that grave when Krystal explained to me she wished to disappear from Lylat. And for good measure, she gave me her Cerininan jewelry to bury with the skeletal remains I found on Titania to make it as real as possible. The grave was to be a deterrent for anyone who was searching for her who had the skill enough to figure out my connection with her. YOU just happened to be the first one to figure it out and survive getting to that point, that is all."

Fox nodded in understanding, and agreed that it was a pretty solid plan for almost anyone who would ever decide to look for Krystal. Unfortunately the only furry who could and would not have believed it was also the one who saw it first...himself.

"I see, that explains a good deal. Now back to my original question." He urged.

Kursed snorted in defiance. "Before you think you have me on the ropes, you're FAR off base. I'm only doing this because I can't kill you, and I like my hideout on Titania too much to abandon it just because you're a stubborn vulpine." She explained, and continued on before Fox could retort. "As for Krystal...I'm breaking my promise to her telling someone that she is still alive." At this Fox's eyes glittered with happiness. "However McCloud, I will not tell you where she is..."

"BUT..."

Kursed put up a paw to stop him from continuing his interruption. "...I am Krystal's guardian...in a sense. If you EVER want the possibility of your message to reach her ears, you will have to do something first..."

Fox jumped at her pause, his pain apparently vanishing. "WHAT!? WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO!?" He yelled in anxiousness.

"You MUST tell me the message you wish for her to hear."

Fox's anxiousness turned to confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you can either pretend I am Krystal, and talk to me as if I were her or do whatever it is that will make you feel comfortable enough to speak. But you WILL tell me the message you have for her. And should I have any questions...you WILL answer them completely and honestly. Once I hear the message I will determine if it is worth Krystal's time to hear. In other words...it is completely in YOUR paws on whether or not Krystal will receive your message." She conditioned.

Hearing this, fox turned to look at his lap, remaining silent as he slowly took out the needles in his arms, and sighed in understanding after the last one exited. "So..." He turned to look at her. "...how should we start this?"

Kursed moved around to get into a comfortable position in the chair, knowing this may take some time to finish.

"Simple...tell me what you so desperately wanted her to know, that you invited two beatings from me that could have ended your life."

Fox looked back down into his lap, clenching the sheets in his paws. He seemed to be readying himself to unleash all his pent up feelings. He closed his eyes and looked towards the ceiling before letting out a relaxing breath.

He turned back to Kursed, his eyes now open, and showing the grief, self-loathing, and sorrow he felt. "I want her to know that...I'm sorry. That I'm so sorry. I was the one being selfish when I told her to leave. I was the one whose emotions was over-ruling their common sense. That I stupidly pushed her away...under the guise of protection because I loved her." He confessed, his eyes already showing the signs of tears as he looked into the aqua green eyes of Kursed.

Kursed was a bit surprised that Fox had admitted that, considering his stubbornness and pride she didn't think he'd ever to admit his own failures so openly. That however didn't phase her much after what Krystal had been through. In fact she wanted to beat him to near death once again, but knew that wouldn't get her the answers she was looking for and held her righteous fury in check...for now.

She examined him before speaking "If you're so sorry...then why did you do it in the first place?"

Fox turned back to his lap, ripping the sheets in a death grip. "Because I thought I was protecting her..." He answered, before a shadow of a smile crossed his muzzle and he chuckled mirthlessly. "...of course in hindsight I realized that it was the worst decision of my life. One I had to live with for all these years. I was afraid that because Star Fox was so famous, and killed or imprisoned so many criminals...that they or their associates would try to get revenge on the team. I was...so afraid of something happening to her...I couldn't bare the thought of seeing her at their mercy. I knew how she was raised on Cerinia, so I knew that she had no real idea just what some furries are TRULY capable of in the criminal underworld...especially when it comes to females. And with how beautiful, and exotic looking Krystal is...well I'm sure you can imagine. So I did what I thought was the best course to keep her safe...even if she ended up hating me for it. But in my emotional haste to protect her, I failed to recognize the fact that she didn't need THAT kind of protecting. After she left I had a long time to think and I came to realize my mistake that day." By now tears were slowly rolling down his fur.

Kursed scoffed lowly at his excuses, a scowl across her muzzle. "And what about what you said in that conversation?" She growled.

Fox flinched at her tone...he knew EXACTLY what she was talking about. "It was all bullshit..." He admitted, and turned halfway to look at her. "...EVERYTHING I said in that conversation about her was either a lie, or half truth. I said them because I needed a way to send her away without her growing suspicious of my TRUE reasons because they would make her want to stay that much more. But make no mistake...everything I said was the opposite of what I truly felt. I said she could never be anything more than an 'average' pilot..." He laughed but it was with no joy. "...that was the opposite of the truth. She was a superb pilot...her flying potential...I thought was even better than my own, possibly on par with my father's...which is scary considering her people used mechanical technology as little as possible. I'm sure she'd have surpassed me in skills in a few years time with more training. As for rescuing her during the Aparoid invasion...that was the truth. However I never elaborated further by admitting how many times she had saved my life in return. If it weren't for her I never would have made it out of some of those battles alive either. Her telepathy too was an astounding skill that was invaluable to us. It allowed us to be one step ahead of our enemies, and plan strategies accordingly. Her telepathy made her THEE most powerful asset Star Fox ever had. I basically called her a burden and Star Fox's ward in our conversation, and that is the farthest thing from the truth. It wasn't her that was a burden or ward to us...it was us being a burden and ward to her. If not for her telepathy we'd all have probably died in the Aparoid invasion at one point or another. So she protected us much more than we had ever protected her when she was on the team. I just..." A choked sob cut him off. "...I'm sorry I said those things to her...I wish I could take them back...I wish I NEVER pushed her away. My intentions were good...but as they say "The path to hell is paved with good intentions"...and I've had to live with myself ever since that day and the torture its brought me."

Kursed's expression softened ever so slightly at hearing the honest regret in his confession and seeing the emotions pouring out of him. She had wanted to believe him, knowing that Krystal would be happy and a bit satisfied to actually hear the truth. But the question now was, how after all he did could she believe his words presently?

Her nose scrunched up. "Your words sound genuine McCloud...but tell me how can I or Krystal discern whether you're telling the truth now or not? Especially after all the slanderous lies you've already told her?" Her tone was quite hostile now.

Fox turned his head completely to her, and opened his mouth to answer, only for it to close soon after. At Kursed's words...Fox had realized the fatal flaw in his plan to find Krystal and tell her how sorry he was. And that was...how could he prove to her he wasn't lying about his confession now? How could she ever tell when he was telling the truth or lying after all he has done? He knew about her telepathy...but he wasn't sure how much truth she could gain from using it, it was a skill Krystal kept close to the chest even from him. He felt his heart drop into his stomach with despair gripping it like a vice. Tears of anguish and fear rained down his fur, as he looked away from Kursed ashamed, his fists trembling so tightly now that his claws dug into his pads making the sheets redden with his blood.

Kursed watched this in morbid curiosity, seeing the emotions flare across Fox's face...seeing the devastation her words caused him. In truth she wasn't surprised he hadn't thought of it...as he himself said in his last conversation with Krystal, emotions tend to create a road block for logic and common sense in these kinds of emotional situations. She heard his soft, whimpering cries as his body tremored. and decided that with him so distracted by his despair, NOW would be the best time to find out the truth of the matter without him realizing it. To see if he truly meant what he said to see if he deserved ANY form of forgiveness from Krystal. Or if she should immediately leave the Great Fox, with Fox losing his only substantial chance to find Krystal forever.

She closed her eyes, and concentrated...before a scene began playing out like a movie in her mind. A movie that Kursed was intimately familiar with, the day Fox kicked Krystal off the team. As the 'movie' played out, Kursed was slammed with tidal waves of emotions. She could actually feel the emotions Fox was feeling each and every moment...it was almost overwhelming. She could feel the nervous sadness when Krystal first set foot onto the deck of the Great Fox. She felt the utter loathing coursing through Fox's body after each passing second of the conversation. She felt the unnatural rhythm of his heartbeat as his body trembled, the life-producing organ threatening to rip painfully out of his chest. She could taste the bile rising into his throat after each syllable of lies escaped his lips to make Krystal leave. She even tasted blood the many times he forcefully bit the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out, as well as the few tears that DID escape when they spoke with his back to her. She felt the almost endless sense of self-hatred, and sorrow he had felt throughout the entire ordeal.

Though the most powerful waves of emotions occurred when he was howling towards the heavens after she left. While they were the same base emotions she had already felt rolling from him...these were on a completely different level of intensity. They were amplified almost ten-fold and crashed against her consciousness like a tsunami. They were so strong they threatened to drown her under their weight...even the feeling of protection he had for her. As they continued to ravage her, her concentration nearly broke several times, but she NEEDED to see the entire ordeal through to the end.

The movie finally began to fade and she couldn't take anymore and ripped her consciousness from him. Her eyes suddenly wretched open, as she panted...beads of sweat forming on her brow at all the things she had just felt. After finally calming down, she looked at the still trembling vulpine with a new understanding. She finally understood EVERYTHING about the decision he had made. And as much as she hated herself for admitting it, she could now understand and even partially sympathize with why he had done what he did. It was because she could see Krystal doing something very similar if Fox was ever in such possible danger...their feelings for one another were THAT strong. Her body unconsciously moved to rest a reassuring paw on his shoulder. Her senses came back to her at the last second and she ripped her paw away before it could get any closer. She steadied her breathing before she spoke, seeing that Fox was not ready to take the initiative in continuing the discussion.

"For some reason...I believe you McCloud." She admitted.

Fox's body froze at this, then almost as if in slow motion his body turned, until his face was looking directly into her's again.

"W...Why? A...After everything I said to you...how could you believe me? I wouldn't even believe me!" He admitted.

Kursed closed her eyes thinking of a reasonable lie. "Because of what Krystal told me about you...you were never cruel McCloud. Stubborn, shy, and arrogant sometimes...yes...but you were NEVER wantonly cruel, nor without SOME form of mercy to your enemies. As much as I know your conversation shamed, angered, and broke her heart...I believe that you would never do something THAT cruel to someone just to be cruel or without a good enough reason you felt was justified. Especially when it comes to the vixen you said you love...if that declaration is to also to be believed anyway." She explained.

Fox's heart swelled at hearing Kursed speaking so highly of him after what he had done. Of course just as he realized this his heart sunk again at realizing how badly he screwed things up.

He then zoned in the final thing Kursed said and his teeth gritted in anger, but he kept it in check. "If there is one thing I've admitted to you, that I don't want you to questioning...its the love I have for Krystal. Its one of the FEW things that has kept me going for so long in my search of her. She is like a drug I'm completely addicted to, and I have no intention of her letting go if I can help it." He turned away from her, as a genuine smiled crossed his muzzle as he reminisced. "I've been in love with her since the first moment I laid eyes on her, when she was trapped inside that crystal on Sauria" He chuckled warmly at the memory. "I can remember all I could think in that first moment was that she was the most gorgeous creature I had ever laid eyes on. Of course her beauty was only the first, though not the most important of many reasons why I felt that way. After we left Sauria...I learned a lot about her...I learned that she was very kind, caring and sweet...even a bit of a flirt. But she wasn't a push over either, when she was threatened she could protect herself and those she cared for just as well as anyone on Star Fox. I also saw her softer side, a side that I have a feeling few ever saw. I learned about her planet's destruction and what she had been trying to accomplish before getting captured by general scales. I spent many nights listening to her speak about her life on her planet, and spent even more nights with her curled up next to me like a kit as she cried on my shoulder. Throughout our time together I learned that we had a lot in common, despite our different upbringing and life experiences. As I think about it now...there was absolutely no other alternative for me than falling in love with such a beautiful vixen, and that love has never once faltered." His smile turned into a regretful frown. "I only wish I had the courage to tell her how I felt. But I was too much of a shy coward to say three simple words to her. Instead all I could do was stutter over my own tongue, and blush whenever she gave me any sort of playful attention, like some hormonal teenage kit. Its funny you know..." He chuckled gently. "...how I can say all of this...say that I love her so easily and with so much zeal, to a complete stranger. Yet when it came to saying it to her...I just couldn't seem to form the words."

Kursed forced her reaction down to his words as best she could, and was glad Fox was so absorbed by them that he didn't notice the small smile, and slight blush now adorning her face. As much time that had past, she knew there was still a part of Krystal that loved Fox. As much as she should hate him...she couldn't completely stop loving him.

She shook her head knocking her thoughts away. "While that is a lovely sentiment, I have to ask what if Krystal doesn't want to ever see you again after all the pain you've caused her?"

Fox frowned at the prospect. "While I pray that isn't the case, I know I should be prepared for that event after what I've done to her. And if that IS the case...well...then I'll just have to ask her to forgive me for one more thing. Because I will not give up until I see her one more time and tell her how sorry I am and of my feelings for her."

Kursed arched a brow. "And if she is with another male...like she was with Panther Caruso?" She prodded.

The sheer thought of another male being with Krystal made Fox's heart feel like someone just crushed it in their paws. It was the same feeling he had in the pit of his stomach when Wolf O' Donnell told him that Krystal and Panther were in a relationship during the Angler invasion, before he betrayed Star Fox. His mouth felt dry, and he unconsciously licked his lips.

"Well...I..." The pain in his heart making him pause.. "...I...I don't know." He finally admitted, looking down at his lap, his fists once against clenched together. "It would break my heart...but at the same time I know that it was my own actions that drove her into the arms of another. I could never blame her for trying to or finding happiness...but I'd still want to see her one last time, and tell her how sorry I was for what I had done. And if by chance she was still upset over it, I'd hope it would give her some closure on that part of her life." Tears couldn't help but start to fall down his face again at the thought.

"I see..." She mused, simply watching the emotional roller coaster Fox was on. "...and what if...she hates you and won't forgive you for what you did?"

Fox gave Kursed a sideways glance, before chuckling mirthlessly. "To be honest if what I'm feeling right now is only a fraction of what she felt THAT day and since...then I don't expect her to EVER forgive me. And if she doesn't, I will only have myself and my actions to blame for that." At this he put a paw to the collar of the medical gown he wore and ripped it off to show his chest where his self-inflicted "X" scar was. "This scar..." He began while watching his finger graze the edges of the mutilated flesh. "...is a constant reminder to myself of the pain I've caused her. Its also a reminder of a promise I made to myself...a promise that no matter what may happen when I had finally found and confronted her again...that I would NEVER harm her EVER again with my actions or words." His voice was soft...but it held a determination that Kursed had never heard from the vulpine before.

She was completely surprised about the scar, and even more so about why and how Fox received it. She was so surprised in fact that after he stopped speaking words left her lips without her knowledge.

"You really love her don't you?"

Fox looked at her, and smiled a small, but genuine smile at her. "Despite what you may think because of my horrendous mistake based on my feelings. The fact remains that I love her with all my heart and soul...more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life. And whatever decision she makes about me I will respect and follow to the letter...its the very least I owe her after all I've done." He answered with zealous conviction.

Kursed remained silent at his proclamation, as the two vulpine just stared at one another...each having their own thoughts on what was just discussed. Several minutes passed before Fox abruptly averted his gaze, and watched the emptiness of space as the stars passed by after asking ROB to open a viewing port.

"So..." He opened a new dialogue, his gaze still on the stars. "...do I pass your test?" The nervous hope in his voice was not lost on Kursed's ears.

Kursed looked towards him, and even saw the nervousness in his body language.. "I have one final question for you..." She answered, making him turn towards her. "...what would you do...if...she did forgive you?"

Fox tilted his head, out of all the questions she could have asked him that one wasn't high on the list. Despite this, he gave her a small reassuring smile before he answered.

"Well I..." He chuckled. "...I'd probably howl in happiness that she forgave me, before I'd burn incense to Inari everyday for my fortune."

Kursed nodded slightly at his answer, and looked away from him to look out the view port into the depths of space. Fox watched Kursed for what felt like forever, he drank in her form, being a glutton for what possibly might be the last time he got to see her. He wanted to reach over and touch her, feel her fur and flesh against him...smell her unique scent one last time. Even if she truly wasn't Krystal, she was close enough to give his aching heart a small semblance of peace for a short while.

He knew she shouldn't ruin it, but he had to know. "Kursed?" He called out softly, knowing she'd be more responsive by calling the name she preferred.

Kursed's body slightly jumped at his voice knocking her out of her deep introspection before she answered. "My name..." She began as she turned back to look at Fox. "...is Krystal..." She announced...her lush Cerinian accent now rolling off her tongue like silk, making Fox gasp at her voice and her once cold eyes now showing with a familiar warmth. Both of these things he knew could only belong to one vixen...Krystal. The voices in the back of his mind that constantly told him he was just paranoid that Kursed was Krystal were finally silenced by the vixen's declaration. "...and I..." She paused again as her paw came up to rest on the left side of Fox's cheek and muzzle gaining his undivided attention. "...forgive you, Fox McCloud." She declared, making Fox's eyes widened.

"W...What did you s...say?" He stuttered out, hoping against hope that this wasn't a cruel joke and he had actually been asleep this entire time.

A warm smile that melted Fox's heart rose across her muzzle as she ran her paw across his face.

"I said...I forgive you Fox McCloud."

Fox just sat there in a trance...his mind trying to wrap around what just happened. Suddenly he broke out into a smile so large it almost looked like it would split his head in two.

He then raised his head to the ceiling of the Great Fox. "WWWWWOOOOO!!!!!" He howled, his voice carrying all the joy he now felt in every fiber of his being across the ship.

Krystal couldn't help but laugh gently, true to his words Fox had yelled for his happiness. Fox's howl rattled the Great Fox until his lungs burned for air, which was the only reason he stopped. He was now looking at his lap, panting for breath, a giddy smile still across his muzzle, as joyful tears now flowed down his face.

As he calmed down, soft chuckles escaped him as he breathed. "Thank you Krystal...thank you for believing me...thank you for forgiving me...thank you...thank you...thank you" He spoke quickly, as he continued to cry and laugh.

The vixen continued to smile warmly, letting him calm down before they would finish their talk.

It was several minutes before he did. "You don't know how much that means to me but..." He frowned unable to look at her now. "...I can't help but question how after all I've done...you could forgive me so easily." He chuckled at himself, before turning his gaze to her. "In no scenario that I played out in my head did you forgive me so quickly. In fact in most of them you screamed, yelled and cried at what an unbelievable, and inconsiderate asshole I was before you left again...only this time forever."

Krystal's smile was pulled into a smirk, one that Fox had never seen on her...probably a trait she had gained as 'Kursed'.

"Well I've had over six years to come to terms with what you said to me. Though I'll admit that when I saw you on Kew my first instinct was to shoot you. But my curiosity on why you were on such a remote planet outside the Lylat System stayed my finger. To answer your question directly however...I suppose you can say that the reason why I didn't react the way you thought I would is because I had been able to take out the bulk of my pent up anger, hatred, frustration and sorrow over what you did to me when I beat you nearly to death...twice. So by the time we had this discussion I had worked out most of my aggression towards you...it was QUITE therapeutic honestly." She explained, her fangs slightly revealed, making fox chuckle nervously.

"I see..." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "...well I'm glad it happened like it did then. I'd gladly take another beating like those if I had to for you to forgive me."

Krystal's muzzle pulled back more thanks to her growing smirk. "Oh don't tempt me Fox..." She warned, which made him audibly gulp. "...I may have forgiven you but I still have a few things I need to get off my chest over what you did to me." She explained with a deep frown making him tilt his head, obviously wondering what she meant. "I want you to know that you broke my heart that day, you made me feel such shame about myself that several days after I left all I did was curl up into a ball and cry in my Arwing. I barely drank, ate or slept during those days Fox...you truly have NO idea the kind of torment you caused me. At one point I..." A wracked sob caused her to stop her sentence as tears brimmed her eyes...the reliving of those days in her mind stripping away her mental and emotional fortitude. "...considered just...ending it." She explained, making Fox's expression widen in shock.

"Oh my Inari! Krystal...I..."

His response was stopped by her now raised hand for him to remain quiet. They stayed like that for several minutes Fox feeling his heart rip, and tear every second seeing Krystal like this. He wanted to simply scoop her up and hold her tight telling her he was sorry, and that he'd do anything to make her stop crying. Krystal; on the other hand was trying to calm her emotions down, as her memories of those torturous days flashed through her mind like a movie. Finally she calmed enough to look back from the ground into Fox's teary eyed face and continued.

"A feeling...an indescribable feeling of sorrow, heart break, and shame coursing through your body like electricity...swimming through your veins like your very blood...blackening your heart until it withered to almost nothingness. THAT is what you caused me to feel Fox..." She continued on, as they looked into eachothers eyes. "...and those were the days in which the Krystal you knew died, and the vixen you see before you now was born." Fox listened and quickly realized where this was going. She wanted her reparations for his actions...her final proverbial "ten pounds of emotional flesh". "Ever since my 'rebirth' I trained tirelessly for hours on end in the simulators when I joined the Cornerian military for several months. I wanted to prove you wrong, I wanted to shove it in your face that I was more than just an 'average' pilot. Once I had gotten all I could out of the military I went to find Wolf O' Donnell to join Star Wolf." Her smile turned cruel, making him flinch "Of course I was only using Star Wolf to get back at you...it was well known your two teams met on the battle field quite often. And I SO wanted to see your devastated expression when you realized poor, 'average' Krystal was flying under your rival's banner, and might I add flying even better than Wolf O' Donnell himself. Then lets not forget the momentous 'icing on the cake'. The fact I was also in a relationship with one of it's members at the time of my unveiling to you. All of it was so I could see your heart-wrenched expression...the same expression I had THAT day." Her smile grew as she saw Fox writhe under the weight of his mistake, she could almost swear she saw his scar pulsing in self-mutilating agony. "Of course it was during the Angler invasion that I realized a full on confrontation would only end with the Lylat System being destroyed, which was advantageous for no one. So I created the plan to stop the war..." She chuckled when she saw Fox's ears fall flat against his head in shame, his breathing running ragged out of his muzzle. "...yes you know the one. And so Star Wolf took one of the things that Star Fox prized itself on...being the heroes. Of course it was only after we became said heroes did I learn that my past with Star Fox would still haunt me..." Her smirk lowered, and she looked forlornly out towards the stars. "...people can be truly cruel when they want to be. And they seem to know just the right places to stick you to cause you the most pain. The whispered words of 'traitor', the shouts of 'betrayer' and so much worse. It soon became too much...and so I left...and that is when "Kursed" was truly born." She explained not even noticing tears falling down her eyes as she turned back to Fox. "So tell me Fox...are you proud? Proud upon seeing the vixen you helped to create sitting before you now?"

Fox couldn't even look at her he was so ashamed. "Would you hate me if I said no?" His voice was soft and full of regret.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, satisfied with her final vestige of what little revenge she had left in her heart. "No I wouldn't hate you...but I wanted you to know how much your words can and did effect me...so that in the future you'll consider them and your actions more carefully."

Fox's emerald orbs chanced a glance at her. "I know...I'm so sorry Krystal...I truly am."

A small smile showed. "I know you are Fox...as am I." She whispered.

At her words Fox turned to her confused. "Why are you sorry? All this had been my fault from day one."

She nodded, not arguing with him on that point at all. "Yes it has...however despite the many people who'd come to learn about all this, and whom would agree that my actions were justified. I heard of a saying that can be best used here..."Two wrongs don't make a right". So I too must apologize Fox..." She paused, her emotions getting the better of her as she remembered her cruel actions...something she knew she'd never do normally.. "...for my actions after I left, to join Star Wolf, to use Panther like I had, shouldn't have been done. Just because you broke my heart doesn't mean I should have attempted to break yours for vengeance or spite whether justified or not. That isn't the kind of furry I was, that isn't the kind of furry I want to be...and for that I'm sorry." She declared, as she began to hiccup tears once again.

No sooner she she finish did she feel a rough paw rest on top of hers. She looked up to see Fox once again crying, as he squeezed her paw in his.

"I don't EVER want you to apologize to me for what you did back then Krystal. I'll never blame you for the actions you took, and Inari knows that I deserved them and more anyway. But only I have reason to apologize...do you hear me?" He commanded gently.

She raised a paw and wiped her eyes. "I hear you Fox." She answered softly before chuckling between sobs. "You know...this is the first time I've cried in years..." She confessed out of the blue...making Fox frown that he was the cause...again. "...it feels nice though...to finally release all my demons both physically and emotionally I had locked away." She admitted, making Fox's frown disappear a bit.

The two vulpine stayed like that for some time...letting their bodies ride out the sea of emotions they felt. It was nearly ten minutes later, that Fox finally broke the silence.

"So..." He started grabbing her attention as they stared at one another. "...where does this leave us now?"

Krystal said nothing, but looked down at her lap where their paws were now intertwined.

"I...I don't know." She admitted before looking up as their eyes met, before an epiphany hit her. "A new beginning perhaps?" She suggested.

Her question made Fox's heart swell in joy at hearing her offer of a second chance. "A new beginning..." He murmured, before a hopeful smile appeared. "...can I hope to see you being there...right next to me?"

His question made her smile back. "You can hope all you want..." Her voice now serious, making Fox's shoulders slump in rejection. "...but if you want to make it a reality, it all hinges on two conditions."

Fox's ears perked up immediately at this. "What conditions!?" He asked anxiously, making her giggle...a sound that was music to his ears, and one he had deeply missed.

"That you'll treat me as your equal...in everything. No more telling lies or half truths thinking its the best for me or for my protection...be honest with me. I'm an adult Fox, and you have to let me make my own decisions about things concerning my life. And if you truly mean what you said concerning your feelings towards me, then you'll respect not only me but the decisions that I make...even if you hate them. And if you have worries or problems, you'll confide in me and let me help you if I can. You've never truly been alone Fox...so you don't have to shoulder decisions like you are, just because you're the leader of Star Fox."

Fox frowned slightly, understanding what she wanted, and nodded in acceptance. "You're right..." He gave her an apologetic smile. "...and I'm sorry that I had forgotten that till now." She smiled gently, a comfortable silence between them, before Fox grew curious a minute later. "Um...what was the second condition by the way?"

Krystal came out of her trace at his question, and her smile deepened, her expression giving off a warmth that fox hadn't felt from her in so long. She pulled her paw out of Fox's hesitant one and pressed it against the left side of his muzzle and cheek.

"And I'll only be there...if you'll kiss me."

Fox could suddenly hear his heart beating in his ears like drums, he wasn't quite sure what to make of her second request. Sure kissing her was something he wouldn't hesitate to do but it seemed rather strange...though not unwelcomed...as a condition...and unfortunately he couldn't read minds like she could. As he pondered over her condition, he saw her tilt her head to the side cutely, waiting patiently.

"Well?" She whispered, her voice soft as her paw rubbed gently along his face.

"S...sorry." He stuttered out...his body feeling like it was suddenly in an oven.

Fox leaned forward her paw moving with him as he leaned closer to her seat. He closed his eyes when he was a foot away from her, and pursed his lips slightly. He waited patiently as he felt her arm bending towards him meaning she was leaning forward to meet him, before her paw left his cheek. His body trembled slightly at the fact this was actually happening, after all the times he wished for it. He could suddenly feel her warm breath hitting the base of his snout, and his body immediately tensed at the implications. His nose crinkled when some of her fur brushed against it, before he moved slowly forward again and tilted his head to the side so the kiss wouldn't be awkward. Just as he thought he was about to feel her lips press against his, a furry digit gently pressed against them instead stopping his progress. Before he could open his eyes or even ask what was wrong he felt a soft muzzle graze across his right cheek. He then felt a pair of lips gently press against said cheek, before the muzzle moved up stopping at the base of his ear.

"Not so fast." He heard her say...her voice now light and airy...like an angel's.

Her close proximity caused her addictive scent to roll into his nose, as her her breath washed over his now twitching appendage, the entire ordeal causing an arousing shiver to run down his spine. Just as suddenly as she came however, he felt her move away along with her finger from his pursed lips. He drunkenly opened his eyes when he heard her settle back in her seat, only to see her now looking at him with a coy smile, and a glint in her eyes.

"You have a looong way to go before that is gonna happen...Mr. Savior." She teasingly warned and giggled before grabbing both his wrists and pulled him off the bed slowly as to not hurt him.

Fox just looked at the vixen his mouth slightly agape, and a small blush staining his cheeks with what she had just done. Inwardly though his heart soared at the true meaning behind her words.

"_I wasn't sure if she was being completely honest with me...but this proves it. She wouldn't have even considered teasing me so familiarly like she always used to do if she hadn't truly forgiven me."_ The smile he now had threatened to split his face in two. _"Maybe...just maybe she'll also give me a chance...for "us"."_ He hoped.

Fox gladly allowed the vixen to drag him to the view port, before they both settled in front of the glass. They remained there standing next to each other, just watching the stars and planets roll by in comfortable silence. It was soon Krystal's turn to break the silence, not taking her gaze away from the sea of space.

"So...what will we do now?" She questioned softly, a question obviously directly towards the present and distant future.

Fox's emerald eyes turned to her. "Will you truly...be by my side?" He was airing out the last remnants of his fears.

Fox felt a paw reach over and intertwine with his once again, making him turn to Krystal who had done the same.

She smiled. "Yes" No elaboration was needed.

Fox smiled broadly, feeling his final fears dissipate from his heart, and squeezed Krystal's paw gently, before he looked back into the ocean of space.

"Then...I don't care what we do." He answered, causing Krystal to nod her head agreeing with him wholeheartedly. "Although..." He turned back to her. "...there is a close personal friend I promised to see...whom I'm sure would love to meet you...the REAL you." He announced.

His words caused Krystal to giggle softly, and nod. "I think I'd like that." She agreed.

His thumb ran up and down the back of her paw.. "I really missed you Krystal." He announced softly looking at her..

Krystal turned to him and smiled broadly, before resting her head on Fox's shoulder. "I really missed you too Fox." She whispered back in the same tone.

The two vulpine turned back into the calm, eerily beautiful ocean of space, their thoughts on just what the future would hold for them now. As they watched the stars, and planets float by, with the engines of the Great Fox humming in their ears their paws unconsciously squeezed each others reassuringly.

The future can be as unpredictable and cruel as a raging storm...yet neither felt an ounce of fear at that moment. Their smiles grew because standing next to them was a vulpine which they knew despite everything that went on between them, would give them the strength, courage, and determination to weather ANY storm the future may force them to face...neither realized that the other was thinking the exact same thing.

New beginnings...can be deathly frightening to many, with so many new possibilities for disaster arising at any twist or turn. But for Fox and Krystal, a new beginning meant a second chance at what they both knew since the first moment they locked eyes on Sauria. That where they were at this very moment, was where they should have been all along, paw in paw...together.

* * *

**AN – Well there you have it the conclusion of New Beginnings: A Tail of Redemption. Just for general information though, I wanted to point out that despite what the last paragraph of the story MAY portray, I want you to know that Fox and Krystal aren't together in the 'relationship' sense. At the end of this story, they have merely patched things up and are taking a fresh start to what they once had...being close friends. Now that is not to say that in the future they may or may not become more than friends. Just that THIS story was only meant to portray their emotional struggles with each other after what occurred in Star Fox: Command.**

**Anyway I hope for all of you who even read it were satisfied with how things ended with the pair. If you aren't...well not much I can really do now.**

**For those who have any questions feel free to review and I'll private message you back with answers.**

**PS - I MAY make an epilogue to the story...but at the moment I am uncertain.**


End file.
